Will AI replace Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers?

AI can do 5% of the work Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 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 2 of them. Robots can technically handle 17 physical tasks. 7 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 next2 · 5% of time

AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.

  • Provide proper upkeep of sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, fountains, planters, burial sites, or other grounds features.4% of time
  • Advise customers on plant selection or care.1% of time

Robots can technically do this17 · 76% 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.

  • Mow or edge lawns, using power mowers or edgers.Robots: structured workplaces22% of time
  • Operate vehicles or powered equipment, such as mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, snow blowers, chainsaws, electric clippers, sod cutters, or pruning saws.Robots: structured workplaces11% of time
  • Care for established lawns by mulching, aerating, weeding, grubbing, removing thatch, or trimming or edging around flower beds, walks, or walls.Robots: purpose built settings9% of time
  • Prune or trim trees, shrubs, or hedges, using shears, pruners, or chain saws.Robots: purpose built settings7% of time
  • Use hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, saws, hedge or brush trimmers, or axes.Robots: purpose built settings5% of time
  • Plant seeds, bulbs, foliage, flowering plants, grass, ground covers, trees, or shrubs, and apply mulch for protection, using gardening tools.Robots: purpose built settings5% of time
  • Water lawns, trees, or plants, using portable sprinkler systems, hoses, or watering cans.Robots: structured workplaces4% of time
  • Shovel snow from walks, driveways, or parking lots, and spread salt in those areas.Robots: structured workplaces3% of time
  • Mix and spray or spread fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides onto grass, shrubs, or trees, using hand or automatic sprayers or spreaders.Robots: structured workplaces3% of time
  • Follow planned landscaping designs to determine where to lay sod, sow grass, or plant flowers or foliage.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Decorate gardens with stones or plants.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Care for natural turf fields, making sure the underlying soil has the required composition to allow proper drainage and to support the grasses.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Use irrigation methods to adjust the amount of water consumption and to prevent waste.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Haul or spread topsoil, or spread straw over seeded soil to hold soil in place.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Plan or cultivate lawns or gardens.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Care for artificial turf fields, periodically removing the turf and replacing cushioning pads or vacuuming and disinfecting the turf after use to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.Robots: structured workplacesunder 1% of time
  • Build forms and mix and pour cement to form garden borders.Robots: purpose built settingsunder 1% of time

Still needs a person7 · 18% 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.

  • Gather and remove litter.4% of time
  • Maintain or repair tools, equipment, or structures, such as buildings, greenhouses, fences, or benches, using hand or power tools.4% of time
  • Rake, mulch, and compost leaves.4% of time
  • Trim or pick flowers and clean flower beds.3% of time
  • Install rock gardens, ponds, decks, drainage systems, irrigation systems, retaining walls, fences, planters, or playground equipment.3% of time
  • Maintain irrigation systems, including winterizing the systems and starting them up in spring.1% of time
  • Attach wires from planted trees to support stakes.under 1% of time

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What this means

Little of this work suits AI. The bigger change here is robots: today's robots can technically do 80% of the working time, though they are rarely cheap enough to replace people yet.

What to do next

  • Get ahead on the 2 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
  • Keep an eye on the 17 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
  • Build on the 7 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation2%Tree Trimmers and Pruners4%Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners2%Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners0%Pest Control Workers24%First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers33%

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