Takeover Tracker
19%low risk
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
vs

52 shared · 15 different

core competencies

34%medium risk
Waiters and Waitresses

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricMerchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersWaiters and Waitresses
Risk Score19.5%33.8%
Risk TierLow RiskMedium Risk
Risk Percentile5th61th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)6 / 155 / 15
Median Salary$37,350$33,760
Employment192K2.3M

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Visualization
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Thinking Creatively
Handling and Moving Objects
Fluency of Ideas
Visual Color Discrimination
Far Vision
Sales and Marketing
Originality
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
Performing General Physical Activities
Category Flexibility

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers

31%

total discount

Waiters and Waitresses

28%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers

6 of 15 at risk
88%Use computers to produce signage.
84%Store, pack, and maintain inventory records of props, products, or display items.
55%Develop ideas or plans for merchandise displays or window decorations.
54%Prepare sketches, floor plans, or models of proposed displays.
53%Select themes, lighting, colors, or props to be used.

Waiters and Waitresses

5 of 15 at risk
89%Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
87%Collect payments from customers.
87%Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
85%Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
51%Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming carpet, tidying up server station, taking out trash, or checking and cleaning bathroom.

Wage Comparison

Waiters and Waitresses earns -$3,590(-10%) vs Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersWaiters and Waitresses
10th
$30,050$18,500
25th
$33,580$25,690
Median
$37,350$33,760
75th
$44,750$45,350
90th
$53,800$62,510

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers2028–2035
Waiters and Waitresses2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Waiters and Waitresses.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers

$30,074

from $37,350

Waiters and Waitresses

$22,363

from $33,760

After adjusting for AI risk, Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers offers $7,712 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Merchandise

0

Unique to Waiters

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Creativity
Fine Manipulation
Social Intelligence
Decision Complexity
Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersWaiters and Waitresses
Find transitions from Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersFind transitions from Waiters and Waitresses