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Meter Readers, Utilities

Office & Administrative Supportvery highautomate
Projected change (est.): ~-12%
Median Wage (est.): ~$42,540
Employment (est.): ~27K

Overall Exposure

80+12

2025 vs 2023

Theoretical Exposure

92

What AI could do

Observed Exposure

64

What AI actually does

Automation Risk Score

85

Displacement risk

3-Year Outlook (2025 → 2028)

Projected changes in AI automation metrics over the next 3 years based on estimated data.

Overall Exposure

80→92
+12

2025 → 2028 (estimated)

Theoretical Exposure

92→97
+5

2025 → 2028 (estimated)

Observed Exposure

64→82
+18

2025 → 2028 (estimated)

Automation Risk

85→93
+8

2025 → 2028 (estimated)

Exposure Metrics (2023 - 2028)

Task Breakdown

Read and record utility meter consumption data
92%β 1
Walk designated routes to access meters
40%β 0.5
Inspect meters and connections for defects or tampering
60%β 0.5
Upload meter data to billing systems
95%β 1
Report unusual consumption patterns or safety hazards
65%β 0.5

About This Occupation

If you work as a Meter Reader, AI and smart meter technology are rapidly automating your role. With an automation risk of 85/100 and overall exposure at 80%, this occupation faces very high displacement. Smart meters and IoT devices now automatically transmit consumption data at 92% automation. BLS projects -12% decline through 2034. Physical inspection tasks remain partially human-dependent.

ISCO-08 classification

Unit group 9623ILO official

Meter Readers and Vending-machine Collectors

Definition

ILO original text (English)

Meter readers and vending-machine collectors stock vending machines and collect money from them or from parking meters and other coin-boxes, or read electricity, gas or water meters.

Definition & vocabulary source

Source: International Labour Organization (ILO) — ISCO-08 Structure

License: ILO CC BY 4.0

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Official occupational information

  • ONET43-5041.00

    Meter Readers, Utilities

    Read meter and record consumption of electricity, gas, water, or steam.

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Source: O*NET 30.2, U.S. DOL/ETA

License: CC BY 4.0

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Frequently Asked Questions

With an automation risk score of 85%, Meter Readers, Utilities faces a significant risk of AI-driven displacement. Many core tasks in this role can be automated by current AI systems. However, full replacement is unlikely in the near term -- AI will more likely transform the role rather than eliminate it entirely.

Our estimated AI automation risk score for Meter Readers, Utilities is 85% for 2025. Estimated overall AI exposure is 80%, with 92% theoretical exposure and 64% observed exposure. The estimated risk trend from 2023 to 2025 is +10 points. All of these are model-generated estimates, not measurements.

The tasks with the highest automation potential for Meter Readers, Utilities are: Upload meter data to billing systems (95%), Read and record utility meter consumption data (92%), Report unusual consumption patterns or safety hazards (65%). These rates are our own estimates of how much of each task current AI systems can handle. They are not measurements and are not taken from any external dataset.

We estimate a -12% employment change for Meter Readers, Utilities between 2024 and 2034. This is our own estimate, not a figure published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Combined with an estimated overall AI exposure of 80%, this occupation faces both traditional labor market shifts and AI-driven transformation. Workers should monitor both employment trends and AI capability growth.

Since AI primarily automates tasks in this role, professionals in Meter Readers, Utilities should focus on developing skills that complement AI rather than compete with it. Consider learning AI tool management, shifting toward supervisory and quality-control tasks, and building expertise in areas where human judgment remains essential.