Will AI replace Coroners?
AI can do 61% of the work Coroners do at least twice as fast. People already use it for 1 of their 20 tasks, while 11 more are ready but barely used so far. 8 still need a person.
AI is already doing this1 · 6% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Collect and document any pertinent medical history information.Mostly assisted6% of time
AI could do this next11 · 56% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Complete reports and forms required to finalize cases.11% of time
- Inquire into the cause, manner, and circumstances of human deaths and establish the identities of deceased persons.9% of time
- Complete death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death.9% of time
- Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence.6% of time
- Direct activities of workers conducting autopsies, performing pathological and toxicological analyses, and preparing documents for permanent records.5% of time
- Observe, record, and preserve any objects or personal property related to deaths, including objects such as medication containers and suicide notes.3% of time
- Locate and document information regarding the next of kin, including their relationship to the deceased and the status of notification attempts.3% of time
- Arrange for the next of kin to be notified of deaths.3% of time
- Inventory personal effects recovered from bodies, such as jewelry or wallets.2% of time
- Collect wills, burial instructions, and other documentation needed for investigations and for handling of the remains.2% of time
- Record the disposition of minor children, as well as details of arrangements made for their care.1% of time
Still needs a person8 · 39% 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.
- Perform medicolegal examinations and autopsies, conducting preliminary examinations of the body to identify victims, locate signs of trauma, and identify factors that would indicate time of death.11% of time
- Interview persons present at death scenes to obtain information useful in determining the manner of death.7% of time
- Provide information concerning the circumstances of death to relatives of the deceased.7% of time
- Remove or supervise removal of bodies from death scenes, using the proper equipment and supplies, and arrange for transportation to morgues.6% of time
- Confer with officials of public health and law enforcement agencies to coordinate interdepartmental activities.5% of time
- Coordinate the release of personal effects to authorized persons and facilitate the disposition of unclaimed corpses and personal effects.2% of time
- Testify at inquests, hearings, and court trials.1% of time
- Witness and certify deaths that are the result of a judicial order.under 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 do most of this work faster, but a real part of the job still needs a person. Real use is still behind at 4 out of 100, so the change here is only getting started. The people who learn which tasks to hand off will pull ahead.
What to do next
- Do the 1 task AI is already handling with AI yourself. Your peers already are, and it is quickly becoming the baseline.
- Get ahead on the 11 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Build on the 8 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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