Will AI replace Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators?
Estimated risk score: 59 out of 100
Moderate replacement risk
Estimate from published task research, not reviewed by a person · how we estimate
Within about 19 points for 4 in 5 of the jobs we checked (40 to 78).
For the occupation as a whole, from ratings of its 32 O*NET tasks published in 2023 and calibrated to our hand scores. A specialty inside it can sit higher or lower.
O*NET-SOC 51-9151.00 · Production
Tasks rated in 2023 as ones AI could do or speed up
Tasks a GPT-4-class model could do, or do in half the time or less: 18 of its 32 rated tasks; the first 6 are shown. In O*NET’s words.
- Load digital images onto computers directly from cameras or from storage devices, such as flash memory cards or universal serial bus (USB) devices.
- Upload digital images onto Web sites for customers.
- Maintain records, such as quantities or types of processing completed, materials used, or customer charges.
- Read work orders to determine required processes, techniques, materials, or equipment.
- Create prints according to customer specifications and laboratory protocols.
- Examine developed prints for defects, such as broken lines, spots, or blurs.
Tasks rated in 2023 as not sped up by AI
Tasks such a model was rated as not speeding up or taking over: 9 of its 32 rated tasks; the first 6 are shown. In O*NET’s words.
- Clean or maintain photoprocessing or darkroom equipment, using ultrasonic equipment or cleaning and rinsing solutions.
- Fill tanks of processing machines with solutions such as developer, dyes, stop-baths, fixers, bleaches, or washes.
- Insert processed negatives and prints into envelopes for delivery to customers.
- Load circuit boards, racks or rolls of film, negatives, or printing paper into processing or printing machines.
- Measure and mix chemicals to prepare solutions for processing, according to formulas.
- Set or adjust machine controls, according to specifications, type of operation, or material requirements.
What the job is
Perform work involved in developing and processing photographic images from film or digital media. May perform precision tasks such as editing photographic negatives and prints.
Also called: Photo Printer, Photo Specialist, Photo Technician, Photo Lab Technician (Photographic Laboratory Technician), Joiner, Enlarger, Magnifier, Art Tracer.
Related jobs, estimated
Source. This site includes information from the O*NET 30.1 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. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. (O*NET, CC BY 4.0.) Task ratings: Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock (2023), “GPTs are GPTs: An Early Look at the Labor Market Impact Potential of Large Language Models”, data used under the MIT licence (licence texts). Our change: we averaged the ratings over this occupation’s tasks and calibrated them to our 0–100 scale. It is not a prediction about any one person and not career advice. Disagree? Write to hello@yourstopwashit.com. How we estimate