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How exposed to AI is a Nuclear Power Reactor Operator?

Of the 20 tasks O*NET lists for nuclear power reactor operators, 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
Licensed Reactor OperatorNuclear Control OperatorNuclear Control Room OperatorNuclear Plant Operator (NPO)Nuclear Power Reactor OperatorNuclear Reactor OperatorNuclear Station Operator (NSO)Nuclear Supervising Operator (NSO)Nuclear Unit OperatorReactor Operator (RO)
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
20
tasks rated for this occupation
15%
hold a degree, from a survey of 33
5k
people do this job in the US
27 of 107
least protected in production

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

4
  • Develop or implement actions such as lockouts, tagouts, or clearances to allow equipment to be safely repaired
  • Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests
  • Dispatch orders or instructions to personnel through radiotelephone or intercommunication systems to coordinate auxiliary equipment operation
  • Review and edit standard operating procedures

Cannot be sped up

16
  • Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental safety
  • Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standard procedures
  • Respond to system or unit abnormalities, diagnosing the cause, and recommending or taking corrective action
  • Monitor all systems for normal running conditions, performing activities such as checking gauges to assess output or the effects of generator loading on other equipment
  • Monitor or operate boilers, turbines, wells, or auxiliary power plant equipment
  • Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities
  • Note malfunctions of equipment, instruments, or controls and report these conditions to supervisors
  • Participate in nuclear fuel element handling activities, such as preparation, transfer, loading, or unloading
  • Conduct inspections or operations outside of control rooms as necessary
  • Direct reactor operators in emergency situations, in accordance with emergency operating procedures
  • Authorize maintenance activities on units or changes in equipment or system operational status
  • Supervise technicians' work activities to ensure that equipment is operated in accordance with policies and procedures that protect workers from radiation and ensure environmental safety
  • Authorize actions to correct identified operational inefficiencies or hazards so that operating efficiency is maximized and potential environmental issues are minimized
  • Direct the collection and testing of air, water, gas, or solid samples to determine radioactivity levels or to ensure appropriate radioactive containment
  • Direct measurement of the intensity or types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials
  • Identify or direct implementation of appropriate decontamination procedures, based on equipment and the size, nature, and type of contamination
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.