When AI and robots work together, Anthropic says these jobs are at risk. Should gardeners worry?

Anthropic's analysis of the potential impact of AI and robots working together reveals a concerning future for hands-on jobs, including gardening. Despite earlier research suggesting gardeners were relatively safe from automation due to the inability of AI to identify plants, Anthropic has now updated its findings to suggest that combining AI with robots could significantly increase the risk for such roles.

This new perspective pushes many hands-on jobs higher on the disruption scale. While it may seem logical that AI and robots working together could enhance efficiency, the reality of executing complex tasks in the garden presents several challenges. Skills like plant identification, awkward kneeling positions, and the precise removal of weeds without damaging surrounding plants remain difficult for robots to achieve.

Although robots have made progress, the gap between research concepts and practical application remains significant. The chart provided by Anthropic illustrates the potential changes in job-task exposure for various categories, with cleaning and maintenance roles, which include gardening, showing increased vulnerability to automation.