Occupational Therapy Aides
Machines can already do 17% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 49%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Occupational Therapy Aides in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 17% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 7% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2036, and 49% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 4,310 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $39,160 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 83% for contact with people.
- Also called: Certified Occupational Rehabilitation Aide (CORA), Direct Service Professional (DSP), Direct Support Professional (DSP), Occupational Rehabilitation Aide.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies | 20% | 20% to 60% | |
| Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments | 16% | 3% to 30% | |
| Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals | 14% | 3% to 30% | |
| Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment | 14% | 3% to 30% | |
| Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area | 8% | 20% to 60% | |
| Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records | 6% | 74% to 94% | |
| Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments | 4% | 50% to 78% | |
| Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games | 4% | 30% to 75% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills occupational therapy aides use most, most used first.
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Occupational Therapy Aides?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2036. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of occupational therapy aides?
Machines can do 17% of the tasks of occupational therapy aides today and 49% 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 31-2012.00 (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). Occupational Therapy Aides: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/occupational-therapy-aides/