Barbers

Provide barbering services, such as cutting, trimming, shampooing, and styling hair; trimming beards; or giving shaves.

The occupation of "Barbers" has an automation risk of 37.0%, as determined by a base risk level of 37.5%. This relatively moderate risk is due in large part to the nature of the barbering profession, which involves both repetitive and highly individualized tasks. Automated technologies can handle some routine activities, but the personal touch and creative flair required for many barbering services present significant barriers to full automation. Among the tasks most susceptible to automation are cleaning and sterilizing instruments, draping and pinning protective cloths around clients, and cutting or trimming hair according to precise instructions. These tasks are relatively standardized, repetitive, and involve clearly defined physical actions that robotic systems or automated tools can perform with consistency and efficiency. As a result, technological advancements like robot-assisted cleaning or machine-guided hair cutting could easily replace or supplement human effort in these particular aspects of the job. On the other hand, the most automation-resistant tasks highlight the complexity and personal nature of barbering. Providing massages to the face, neck, and scalp requires nuanced sensory feedback and human empathy. Chemical services such as curling, coloring, or straightening hair demand specialized knowledge, careful technique, and the ability to respond to client preferences and reactions in real time. Maintaining detailed client records, including personalized notes on services and products, relies on attention to detail and discretion. Finally, bottleneck skills like originality—which help barbers adapt styles and techniques creatively—register a low automation probability (2.5-2.6%), underlining that these uniquely human skills anchor the job’s resistance to total automation.