Will AI replace Manicurists and Pedicurists?

Nothing in this data answers that. It measures whether an AI could halve the time a task takes, not whether an employer keeps the role. 89 per cent of the tasks listed for this occupation cannot be sped up at all.

Which parts of a Manicurists and Pedicurist job can AI already do?

0 of the 18 tasks listed for this occupation were rated as ones a chat window could finish in half the time.

How exposed to AI is a Manicurists and Pedicurist?

Of the 18 tasks O*NET lists for manicurists and pedicurists, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 16 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called

ManicuristNail Technician (Nail Tech)Pedicurist

11%

89%

Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up

18: tasks rated for this occupation
0%: hold a degree, from a survey of only 19
121k: people do this job in the US
29 of 31: least protected in personal care

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Only with software built on top

Maintain supply inventories and records of client services
Schedule client appointments and accept payments

Cannot be sped up

Clean and sanitize tools and work environment
Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush
Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards
Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles
Prepare customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks
Remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs
Use rotary abrasive wheels to shape and smooth nails or artificial extensions
Assess the condition of clients' hands, remove dead skin, and massage hands
Roughen surfaces of fingernails, using abrasive wheel
Advise clients on nail care and use of products and colors
Treat nails to repair or improve strength and resilience by wrapping
Extend nails using powder, solvent, and paper forms attached to tips of customers' fingers to support and shape artificial nails
Polish nails, using powdered polish and buffer
Whiten underside of nails with white paste or pencils
Promote and sell nail care products
Decorate clients' nails by piercing or attaching ornaments or designs

What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.