Takeover Tracker
39%medium risk
Retail Salespersons
vs

46 shared · 7 different

core competencies

34%medium risk
Waiters and Waitresses

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricRetail SalespersonsWaiters and Waitresses
Risk Score39.5%33.8%
Risk TierMedium RiskMedium Risk
Risk Percentile79th61th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)10 / 155 / 15
Median Salary$34,580$33,760
Employment3.8M2.3M

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Sales and Marketing
Selling or Influencing Others
PersuasionAI-Resistant
NegotiationAI-Resistant
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Service OrientationAI-Resistant

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Retail Salespersons

30%

total discount

Waiters and Waitresses

28%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Retail Salespersons

10 of 15 at risk
87%Maintain records related to sales.
86%Prepare sales slips or sales contracts.
85%Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.
85%Inventory stock and requisition new stock.
77%Estimate and quote trade-in allowances.

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 -$820(-2%) vs Retail Salespersons
Retail SalespersonsWaiters and Waitresses
10th
$25,600$18,500
25th
$29,140$25,690
Median
$34,580$33,760
75th
$37,850$45,350
90th
$47,930$62,510

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Retail Salespersons2028–2035
Waiters and Waitresses2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Waiters and Waitresses has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Retail Salespersons.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Retail Salespersons

$20,928

from $34,580

Waiters and Waitresses

$22,363

from $33,760

After adjusting for AI risk, Waiters and Waitresses offers $1,435 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Retail

0

Unique to Waiters

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Fine Manipulation
Creativity
Decision Complexity
Social Intelligence
Retail SalespersonsWaiters and Waitresses
Find transitions from Retail SalespersonsFind transitions from Waiters and Waitresses