AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 53-5022.00

Will AI replace Motorboat Operators?

Motorboat Operators: AI does not yet handle any of the role's 16 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs an efficient-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 16 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Motorboat Operators, from most to least exposed. None reaches 60, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Maintain desired courses, using compasses or electronic navigational aids. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Maintain equipment such as range markers, fire extinguishers, boat fenders, lines, pumps, and fittings. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Arrange repairs, fuel, and supplies for vessels. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Clean boats and repair hulls and superstructures, using hand tools, paint, and brushes. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Perform general labor duties such as repairing booms. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Operate engine throttles and steering mechanisms to guide boats on desired courses. 15 Estimated No tier 4.8
Direct safety operations in emergency situations. 15 Estimated No tier 4.6
Secure boats to docks with mooring lines, and cast off lines to enable departure. 15 Estimated No tier 4.6
Organize and direct the activities of crew members. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Follow safety procedures to ensure the protection of passengers, cargo, and vessels. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Report any observed navigational hazards to authorities. 15 Estimated No tier 4.4
Service motors by performing tasks such as changing oil and lubricating parts. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Issue directions for loading, unloading, and seating in boats. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Tow, push, or guide other boats, barges, logs, or rafts. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Take depth soundings in turning basins. 15 Estimated No tier 3.6
Oversee operation of vessels used for carrying passengers, motor vehicles, or goods across rivers, harbors, lakes, and coastal waters. 8 Estimated No tier 4.4

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 16 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 16 of 16. 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

An efficient-tier model or lower covers 30% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 30% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 70% 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
2,480
Median annual wage
$47,520
Middle half of earners
$42,760 to $69,010
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+1.4%

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 Motorboat Operators and AI

Will AI replace Motorboat Operators?

Not on current evidence. None of the 16 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation reaches a task exposure of 60, the level at which JobRoute counts a task as handled by AI, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 16 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.

What is the AI exposure of Motorboat Operators?

16 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 16 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 16 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Motorboat Operators tasks can AI already do?

None reaches 60 yet. The most exposed task is: Maintain desired courses, using compasses or electronic navigational aids, at 20 out of 100.

What AI model tier does this role need?

An efficient-tier model or lower covers 30% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 70% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. 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 Motorboat Operators, and what do they earn?

2,480 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $47,520 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +1.4% 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: Motorboat Operators. 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/motorboat-operators

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