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How exposed to AI is a Power Distributors and Dispatcher?

Of the 15 tasks O*NET lists for power distributors and dispatchers, 1 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 9 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
Control Area OperatorControl OperatorDispatcherDistribution System Dispatcher (DSD)DSO (Distribution System Operator)Electric System OperatorPower System DispatcherPower System OperatorSystems OperatorTransmission System Operator (TSO)
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
15
tasks rated for this occupation
6%
hold a degree, from a survey of only 19
10k
people do this job in the US
4 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.

Reachable with a chat window today

1
  • Calculate load estimates or equipment requirements to determine required control settings

Only with software built on top

5
  • Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems
  • Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes
  • Record and compile operational data, such as chart or meter readings, power demands, or usage and operating times, using transmission system maps
  • Direct personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to start boilers or generators
  • Implement energy schedules, including real-time transmission reservations or schedules

Cannot be sped up

9
  • Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas
  • Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers
  • Distribute or regulate the flow of power between entities, such as generating stations, substations, distribution lines, or users, keeping track of the status of circuits or connections
  • Manipulate controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines
  • Track conditions that could affect power needs, such as changes in the weather, and adjust equipment to meet any anticipated changes
  • Monitor and record switchboard or control board readings to ensure that electrical or steam distribution equipment is operating properly
  • Inspect equipment to ensure that specifications are met or to detect any defects
  • Tend auxiliary equipment used in the power distribution process
  • Repair, maintain, or clean equipment or machinery, using hand tools
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.