Will AI replace Anesthesiologist Assistants?
AI can do 16% of the work Anesthesiologist Assistants do at least twice as fast. Real use has not caught up: none of their tasks show up in real AI use yet, but AI could speed up 3 of them. Robots can technically handle 4 physical tasks. 9 still need a person.
AI is already doing this0 · 0% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Real AI use has not reached any of this job's tasks yet.
AI could do this next3 · 16% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Collect and document patients' pre-anesthetic health histories.7% of time
- Monitor and document patients' progress during post-anesthesia period.7% of time
- Participate in seminars, workshops, or other professional activities to keep abreast of developments in anesthesiology.2% of time
Robots can technically do this4 · 40% of time
Physical tasks that today's robots can perform in at least some settings. Robots are cost competitive for very few tasks so far, so this change moves slower.
- Control anesthesia levels during procedures.Robots: structured workplaces27% of time
- Administer anesthetic, adjuvant, or accessory drugs under the direction of an anesthesiologist.Robots: purpose built settings9% of time
- Verify availability of operating room supplies, medications, and gases.Robots: purpose built settings3% of time
- Collect samples or specimens for diagnostic testing.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
Still needs a person9 · 44% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Assist anesthesiologists in monitoring of patients, including electrocardiogram (EKG), direct arterial pressure, central venous pressure, arterial blood gas, hematocrit, or routine measurement of temperature, respiration, blood pressure or heart rate.18% of time
- Provide airway management interventions including tracheal intubation, fiber optics, or ventilary support.9% of time
- Administer blood, blood products, or supportive fluids.4% of time
- Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and monitors.3% of time
- Assist anesthesiologists in performing anesthetic procedures, such as epidural or spinal injections.3% of time
- Provide clinical instruction, supervision or training to staff in areas such as anesthesia practices.2% of time
- Respond to emergency situations by providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic cardiac life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), or pediatric advanced life support (PALS).1% of time
- Assist in the provision of advanced life support techniques including those procedures using high frequency ventilation or intra-arterial cardiovascular assistance devices.1% of time
- Assist in the application of monitoring techniques, such as pulmonary artery catheterization, electroencephalographic spectral analysis, echocardiography, or evoked potentials.1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
AI can speed up parts of this job, mostly the paperwork and information work around it. The core still depends on hands, presence or relationships. Robots are the other change to watch: they can technically do 40% of the working time.
What to do next
- Get ahead on the 3 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Keep an eye on the 4 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
- Build on the 9 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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