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Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders score 8 out of 100, which is low exposure to AI. That ranks #780 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 19 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 1 on its own and 0 more with extra software built on top of it. None of its tasks showed up in real AI use in April–May 2026.

8/ 100
Low
Rank
#780of 923 jobs
US workers
6,900BLS, May 2025
Median pay
$41,330a year
In real AI use
0 of 19tasks, April–May 2026

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 (5%)
  • AI can speed this up with extra software: 0 (0%)
  • Little or no AI speed-up: 18 (95%)
  • Record temperatures, amounts of materials processed, or test results on report forms.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
  • Monitor pressure gauges, ammeters, flowmeters, thermometers, or products, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions, such as feed rate, product consistency, temperature, air pressure, and machine speed.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Read dials and gauges on panel control boards to ascertain temperatures, alkalinities, and densities of mixtures, and turn valves to obtain specified mixtures.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Start machinery, such as pumps, feeders, or conveyors, and turn valves to heat, admit, or transfer products, refrigerants, or mixes.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Correct machinery malfunctions by performing actions such as removing jams, and inform supervisors of malfunctions as necessary.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Assemble equipment, and attach pipes, fittings, or valves, using hand tools.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Measure or weigh specified amounts of ingredients or materials, and load them into tanks, vats, hoppers, or other equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Adjust machine or freezer speed and air intake to obtain desired consistency and amount of product.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Weigh packages and adjust freezer air valves or switches on filler heads to obtain specified amounts of product in each container.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Inspect and flush lines with solutions or steam, and spray equipment with sterilizing solutions.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Load and position wrapping paper, sticks, bags, or cartons into dispensing machines.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Sample and test product characteristics such as specific gravity, acidity, and sugar content, using hydrometers, pH meters, or refractometers.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Start agitators to blend contents, or start beater, scraper, and expeller blades to mix contents with air and prevent sticking.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Position molds on conveyors, and measure and adjust level of fill, using depth gauges.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Insert forming fixtures, and start machines that cut frozen products into measured portions or specified shapes.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Place or position containers into equipment, and remove containers after completion of cooling or freezing processes.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Scrape, dislodge, or break excess frost, ice, or frozen product from equipment to prevent accumulation, using hands and hand tools.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Activate mechanical rakes to regulate flow of ice from storage bins to vats.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Stir material with spoons or paddles to mix ingredients or allow even cooling and prevent coagulation.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
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Questions about cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders and AI

Will AI replace cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders score 8 out of 100 (low exposure), #780 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 1 of the job's 19 tasks, 1 of them on its own, while 18 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Record temperatures, amounts of materials processed, or test results on report forms".

Which cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Monitor pressure gauges, ammeters, flowmeters, thermometers, or products, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions, such as feed rate, product consistency, temperature, air pressure, and machine speed"; "Read dials and gauges on panel control boards to ascertain temperatures, alkalinities, and densities of mixtures, and turn valves to obtain specified mixtures"; "Start machinery, such as pumps, feeders, or conveyors, and turn valves to heat, admit, or transfer products, refrigerants, or mixes".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Not much yet. None of the job's tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude in April–May 2026, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders, and what do they earn?

About 6,900 people in the US, with median pay of $41,330 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.

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