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Radio Operators

Receive and transmit communications using radiotelephone equipment in accordance with government regulations. May repair equipment.

Minimal RiskImminent Risk73%HIGH

15 of 15 tasks have some AI capability

Exposure Trend

Mar73.48%Apr73.48%May73.48%Jun73.48%

This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.

Fully Automatable (7)

AI could handle these end-to-end

Operate sound-recording equipment to record signals and preserve broadcasts for purposes such as analysis by intelligence personnel.

AI: Fully automatable - Automated recording systems and AI-managed archives already record and preserve signals for downstream analysis without continuous human operation.

imp: 4.8

Communicate with receiving operators to exchange transmission instructions.

AI: Fully automatable - By 2025 automated systems (SDR control, speech recognition and synthesis, and messaging protocols) can exchange transmission instructions with receiving operators without human intervention in routine contexts.

imp: 4.4

Broadcast weather reports and warnings.

AI: Fully automatable - Automated ingestion of meteorological data, templated messaging and text-to-speech broadcast systems enable fully automated weather reports and warnings.

imp: 4.3

Maintain station logs of messages transmitted and received for activities such as flight testing and fire locations.

AI: Fully automatable - Automatic capture, timestamping, transcription and storage of transmitted/received messages is routine and can fully automate station log maintenance.

imp: 4.2

Turn controls or throw switches to activate power, adjust voice volume and modulation, and set transmitters on specified frequencies.

AI: Fully automatable - Modern radio systems expose software-controllable interfaces so activating power, adjusting volume/modulation, and tuning frequencies can be fully automated.

imp: 4.1

Determine and obtain bearings of sources from which signals originate, using direction-finding procedures and equipment.

AI: Fully automatable - AI systems combined with automated direction-finding hardware and signal-processing algorithms can compute and obtain bearings from radio signals without human intervention.

imp: 4.0

Review applicable regulations regarding radio communications, and report violations.

AI: Fully automatable - AI can parse regulations, monitor communications for potential breaches, and generate reports of violations, though final legal interpretation may require human oversight.

imp: 3.4

Human in the Loop (8)

AI could assist, human oversight required

Monitor emergency frequencies to detect distress calls and respond by dispatching emergency equipment.

AI: Partial - AI can continuously monitor frequencies and detect/distinguish distress signals to alert operators, but legal responsibility and many jurisdictions require human confirmation before dispatching emergency resources.

imp: 4.7

Send, receive, and interpret coded messages.

AI: Partial - AI can send/receive and decode standard coded formats and automate encryption endpoints, but complex cryptanalysis, classified handling, and context-sensitive interpretation remain only partially automatable.

imp: 4.5

Repair radio equipment as necessary, using electronic testing equipment, hand tools, and power tools.

AI: Partial - AI can provide diagnostics, fault isolation and repair instructions, but hands-on electronic repair using tools is not broadly fully automated as of 2025.

imp: 4.3

Operate radio equipment to communicate with ships, aircraft, mining crews, offshore oil rigs, logging camps and other remote operations.

AI: Partial - AI can remotely control and manage radio equipment via software interfaces in many settings, but safety-critical or unpredictable contexts (e.g., certain aircraft or maritime operations) still require human oversight or certification.

imp: 4.3

Conduct periodic equipment inspections and routine tests to ensure that operations standards are met.

AI: Partial - AI can run routine diagnostics and scheduled self-tests, but physical inspections and nuanced condition assessments still require human or robotic physical presence and judgment.

imp: 4.2

Coordinate radio-related aspects of locating and contacting airplanes and ships that are missing or in distress.

AI: Partial - AI can assist by correlating signals, suggesting contacts and automating routine radio coordination, but high-stakes search-and-rescue coordination still requires human decision-making and interagency authority.

imp: 4.1

Examine and operate new equipment prior to installation to ensure that it performs properly.

AI: Partial - AI can run diagnostic tests and operate equipment in simulated or controlled settings but cannot fully handle physical pre-installation checks requiring manual manipulation or nuanced human judgment.

imp: 3.7

Set up antennas and mobile communication units during military field exercises.

AI: Partial - Physical setup of antennas and mobile units in field exercises requires manual labor and situational decision-making, with AI able only to provide guidance or limited remote control in specialized setups.

imp: 3.1

Skills for this role (35)

SpeakingEssentialActive ListeningEssentialReading ComprehensionCoreMonitoringCoreWritingCoreTime ManagementCoreCritical ThinkingCoreCoordinationCoreJudgment and Decision MakingCoreComplex Problem SolvingCore
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