AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 43-5041.00

Will AI replace Meter Readers, Utilities?

Meter Readers, Utilities: AI can already handle 9 of 12 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 12 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Meter Readers, Utilities, from most to least exposed. 9 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Read electric, gas, water, or steam consumption meters and enter data in route books or hand-held computers. 90 Estimated Standard 4.5
Report to service departments any problems, such as meter irregularities, damaged equipment, or impediments to meter access, including dogs. 85 Estimated Standard 4.1
Leave messages to arrange different times to read meters in cases in which meters are not accessible. 85 Estimated Standard 4.0
Connect and disconnect utility services at specific locations. 85 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Answer customers' questions about services and charges, or direct them to customer service centers. 85 Estimated Standard 3.9
Update client address and meter location information. 85 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Report lost or broken keys. 85 Estimated Standard 3.7
Upload into office computers all information collected on hand-held computers during meter rounds, or return route books or hand-held computers to business offices so that data can be compiled. 80 Estimated Standard 4.3
Verify readings in cases where consumption appears to be abnormal, and record possible reasons for fluctuations. 80 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Inspect meters for unauthorized connections, defects, and damage, such as broken seals. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Perform preventative maintenance or minor repairs on meters. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Walk or drive vehicles along established routes to take readings of meter dials. 8 Estimated No tier 4.3

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 12 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 12 of 12. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 91% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 91% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 9% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
19,430
Median annual wage
$48,150
Middle half of earners
$39,410 to $65,750
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
-12.0%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Meter Readers, Utilities and AI

Will AI replace Meter Readers, Utilities?

AI already handles 9 of the 12 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 67 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by -12.0% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Meter Readers, Utilities?

67 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 12 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 12 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Meter Readers, Utilities tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Read electric, gas, water, or steam consumption meters and enter data in route books or hand-held computers; Report to service departments any problems, such as meter irregularities, damaged equipment, or impediments to meter access, including dogs; Leave messages to arrange different times to read meters in cases in which meters are not accessible. They are three of the 9 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 91% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Meter Readers, Utilities, and what do they earn?

19,430 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $48,150 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -12.0% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Meter Readers, Utilities. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/meter-readers-utilities

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