Takeover Tracker
28%medium risk

Agricultural Equipment Operators

Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops. May perform tasks, such as crop baling or hay bucking. May operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks, such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning.

Higher risk than 31% of occupations
Checking for existing plan...

How AI Impacts Each Task

17 tasks analyzed

Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions.

Risk: 11.0%AI: 5EstimatedTime: 8%

Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions.

Risk: 51.0%AI: 60EstimatedTime: 5%

Irrigate soil, using portable pipes or ditch systems, and maintain ditches or pipes and pumps.

Risk: 11.0%AI: 5EstimatedTime: 4%

Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery.

Risk: 47.0%AI: 35EstimatedTime: 4%

Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment.

Risk: 27.0%AI: 45EstimatedTime: 20%

Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery.

Risk: 59.0%AI: 65EstimatedTime: 10%

Direct and monitor the activities of work crews engaged in planting, weeding, or harvesting activities.

Risk: 23.0%AI: 20EstimatedTime: 3%

Load hoppers, containers, or conveyors to feed machines with products, using forklifts, transfer augers, suction gates, shovels, or pitchforks.

Risk: 45.0%AI: 30EstimatedTime: 5%

Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers.

Risk: 41.0%AI: 20EstimatedTime: 3%

Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools.

Risk: 39.0%AI: 15EstimatedTime: 5%

Operate towed machines such as seed drills or manure spreaders to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops.

Risk: 25.0%AI: 40EstimatedTime: 15%

Drive trucks to haul crops, supplies, tools, or farm workers.

Risk: 51.0%AI: 45EstimatedTime: 5%

Walk beside or ride on planting machines while inserting plants in planter mechanisms at specified intervals.

Risk: 43.0%AI: 25EstimatedTime: 2%

Weigh crop-filled containers, and record weights and other identifying information.

Risk: 86.0%AI: 92EstimatedTime: 2%

Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, handtrucks, forklifts, or transfer augers.

Risk: 47.0%AI: 35EstimatedTime: 5%

Guide products on conveyors to regulate flow through machines, and to discard diseased or rotten products.

Risk: 67.0%AI: 85EstimatedTime: 2%

Position boxes or attach bags at discharge ends of machinery to catch products, removing and closing full containers.

Risk: 49.0%AI: 40EstimatedTime: 2%

Skill Impact Analysis

AI-Vulnerable Skills (6)

Information Ordering5%

Information Ordering is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.

Reading Comprehension10%

Reading Comprehension is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.

Memorization5%

Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.

Mathematics10%

Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.

Mathematics10%

Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.

Programming15%

Programming is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.

AI-Resistant Skills (11)

Manual Dexterity80%

Manual Dexterity is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.

Adaptability/Flexibility85%

Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.

Social Perceptiveness90%

Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.

Equipment Maintenance78%

Equipment Maintenance is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.

Leadership88%

Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.

Complex Problem Solving75%

Complex Problem Solving is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.

Coordination70%

Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.

Instructing75%

Instructing is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.

Recommended Courses

Courses matched to Agricultural Equipment Operators skill gaps, ranked by relevance to your displacement risk profile.

Get personalized recommendations. Answer a few questions about your experience and skills to get course suggestions tailored specifically to you.

Upskill to Reduce Risk

Courses addressing your most AI-vulnerable skills

DataCampbeginner

SQL Fundamentals Skill Track

by DataCamp

21 hours$25/mo4.7Certificate
Addresses vulnerability: Information Ordering

Estimated Impact

-6.5pt risk+$2K/yr salary

AI-Augmentation Tools

Learn to work alongside AI and boost your productivity

Courserabeginner

Google UX Design Professional Certificate

by Google

~5 months$49/mo4.8Certificate
Enhances AI augmentation: Critical Thinking

Estimated Impact

-4.6pt risk+$2K/yr salary

Strengthen Your Edge

Double down on skills AI can't replicate

Coursera

Inspired Leadership Through Emotional Intelligence

by Case Western Reserve University

32 hours$49/mo4.8Certificate
Strengthens resilience: Social Perceptiveness

Estimated Impact

-3.5pt risk+$2K/yr salary

We may earn a commission when you enroll through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps fund the Takeover Tracker.

Risk reduction and salary impact are estimates based on skill gap analysis, course relevance, and labor market data. Actual results vary by individual circumstance.

Score History

Risk score over 3 scoring runs

-9.1

overall change

Education & Training

Percentage of workers at each education and training level

Education Level

Less than High School42%
High School Diploma51%
Some College6%
Bachelor's Degree1%

Prior Experience Needed

Work experience required to enter this job

Up to 1 month10%
1-3 months1%
3-6 months68%
6 months - 1 year2%
1-2 years2%
2-4 years17%

Training Provided After Hiring

How long it typically takes to learn on the job

None6%
Up to 1 month7%
1-3 months1%
3-6 months40%
6 months - 1 year41%
1-2 years1%
2-4 years4%

Related News

Recent articles about AI affecting this occupation

2 articles

Caterpillar's Monarch acquisition accelerates farm labor automation

The heavy machinery giant's purchase of a self-driving tractor startup signals a massive acceleration in agricultural automation. This consolidation means autonomous farming equipment will soon reach global scale, threatening traditional farming jobs.

Transport TopicsApr 14

USDA Launches AI Testing Network to Automate Agriculture

A new federal initiative will test AI-driven agricultural technologies aimed at cutting costs and boosting efficiency. This signals a government-backed push toward farm automation that could significantly reduce the need for manual agricultural labor.

Forbes AIApr 13

Last scored March 14, 2026 · Based on BLS employment data and O*NET task analysis