Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria score 12 out of 100, which is low exposure to AI. That ranks #725 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 17 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 1 on its own and 4 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 2 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

12/ 100

Low

Rank: #725of 923 jobs
US workers: 441,050BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $37,450a year
In real AI use: 2 of 17tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 1 (6%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 4 (24%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 12 (71%)

Compile and maintain records of food use and expenditures.AI can speed this up on its own · supplemental task · Seen in real AI use
Requisition food supplies, kitchen equipment, and appliances, based on estimates of future needs.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Plan menus that are varied, nutritionally balanced, and appetizing, taking advantage of foods in season and local availability.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task · Seen in real AI use
Monitor menus and spending to ensure that meals are prepared economically.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Determine meal prices, based on calculations of ingredient prices.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Rotate and store food supplies.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Direct activities of one or more workers who assist in preparing and serving meals.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Train new employees.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Take inventory of supplies and equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Bake breads, rolls, or other pastries.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Monitor use of government food commodities to ensure that proper procedures are followed.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

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Questions about cooks, institution and cafeteria and AI

Will AI replace cooks, institution and cafeteria?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria score 12 out of 100 (low exposure), #725 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 5 of the job's 17 tasks, 1 of them on its own, while 12 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which cooks, institution and cafeteria tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Compile and maintain records of food use and expenditures".

Which cooks, institution and cafeteria tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety"; "Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served"; "Rotate and store food supplies".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 2 of the 17 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as cooks, institution and cafeteria, and what do they earn?

About 441,050 people in the US, with median pay of $37,450 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.