JobBreak

Transportation and Material Moving · United States (national)

Motorboat Operators

How exposed this work is to automation, shown as ranges with the reasoning and sources.

The short version: this role is moderately exposed to automation, and a near-term shift looks unlikely. It is a sourced range, not a verdict, and the detail is below.

Built on O*NET tasks, BLS pay and projections, and peer-reviewed AI-exposure research. Sources shown. Data snapshot SNAPSHOT-2026-11-06. How it works
12.9 of 100
AI / softwarerange 0.9 to 24.9
40.9 of 100
Physical / roboticsrange 28.9 to 52.9

When the change is likely

unlikely soon 0y 5y 10y 15y 20+y

Largely unaffected local demand growing

What to do about it

Use AI to outpace AI.

Strategies to protect your livelihood, most important first.

1
Stay sharp; urgency is low
This role looks durable. Keep your skills current and watch for shifts in your field.
2
Build a financial buffer
Keep 6 to 12 months of expenses and diversify your income, so a disruption is a setback rather than a catastrophe.
3
Add a recognised credential
A certification or license raises the bar against automation and signals value in a tightening market.

Which of my tasks are exposed

Operate engine throttles and steering mechanisms to guide boats on desired courses.
40.9
Direct safety operations in emergency situations.
40.9
Secure boats to docks with mooring lines, and cast off lines to enable departure.
40.9
Maintain desired courses, using compasses or electronic navigational aids.
40.9
Organize and direct the activities of crew members.
100.0
Follow safety procedures to ensure the protection of passengers, cargo, and vessels.
100.0
Maintain equipment such as range markers, fire extinguishers, boat fenders, lines, pumps, and fittings.
40.9
Report any observed navigational hazards to authorities.
50.0

Longer, orange bars are more automatable; short green bars are resistant.

What is driving my result

lowers risk
raises risk
Task: Organize and direct the activities of crew members.
Task: Follow safety procedures to ensure the protection of passengers, cargo, and vessels.
Local demand is growing

How this score is calculated

  1. Map Motorboat Operators to its standard O*NET task list (8 core tasks).
  2. Score each task for AI/software exposure (Eloundou et al. 2023) and physical/robotics exposure (an O*NET work-context proxy), each 0 to 100.
  3. The two axis scores are the task averages: AI 12.9, robotics 40.9.
  4. The timeline comes from the higher axis (40.9), shifted for local demand (growing), and seniority. It is read against your remaining working years.
  5. Ranges are about ±12 points. A backtest against real BLS employment change shows the risk ranking holds in aggregate, but individual outcomes are predicted weakly, so results are ranges, never a flat verdict.

Sources: O*NET, Eloundou et al. (2023), GPTs are GPTs, O*NET Work Context, BLS CPI-U, BLS OEWS. Snapshot SNAPSHOT-2026-11-06. Full method and backtest on How it works.

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