Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
Machines can already do 49% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 72%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 49% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 23% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2027, and 72% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 202,810 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $50,340 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 83% for contact with people.
- Also called: Aircraft Dispatcher, Charter Coordinator, City Dispatcher, Dispatcher (Dispatch).
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule or dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations, according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones | 22% | 85% to 97% | |
| Relay work orders, messages, or information to or from work crews, supervisors, or field inspectors, using telephones or two-way radios | 13% | 30% to 54% | |
| Confer with customers or supervising personnel to address questions, problems, or requests for service or equipment | 12% | 20% to 40% | |
| Record and maintain files or records of customer requests, work or services performed, charges, expenses, inventory, or other dispatch information | 12% | 70% to 95% | |
| Monitor personnel or equipment locations and utilization to coordinate service and schedules | 10% | 40% to 80% | |
| Prepare daily work and run schedules | 9% | 25% to 50% | |
| Receive or prepare work orders | 9% | 70% to 95% | |
| Arrange for necessary repairs to restore service and schedules | 4% | 10% to 27% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $55,010
- Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers62% of tasks by 2035 · US median $68,840
- Crematory Operators58% of tasks by 2035 · US median $43,650
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity70% of tasks by 2035 · US median $59,050
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2027. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance?
Machines can do 49% of the tasks of dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance today and 72% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 43-5032.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/dispatchers-except-police-fire-and-ambulance/