Will maids be replaced by AI?
Updated
Maids score 8 of 100 for AI exposure. 97% of their task time still needs a person. AI speeds up the other 3%.
- 3% AI helps
- 97% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 98% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 20 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can't do any of them end to end yet. It speeds up 1 and leaves 19 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Request repair services and wait for repair workers to arrive. Repair requests can be digital; waiting is physical. | 35% AI helps |
| Sort, count, and mark clean linens and store them in linen closets. Physical sorting and storing; counts could be logged digitally. | 18% Needs a person |
| Observe precautions required to protect hotel and guest property and report damage, theft, and found articles to supervisors. Mostly in-person vigilance; reporting could be logged digitally. | 15% Needs a person |
| Replenish supplies, such as drinking glasses, linens, writing supplies, and bathroom items. Physical restocking; checklists could be software assisted. | 14% Needs a person |
| Keep storage areas and carts well-stocked, clean, and tidy. Physical stocking and tidying; AI only helps with inventory lists. | 12% Needs a person |
| Prepare rooms for meetings and arrange decorations, media equipment, and furniture for social or business functions. Physical room setup; diagrams and checklists could help. | 9% Needs a person |
| Disinfect equipment and supplies, using germicides or steam-operated sterilizers. Physical disinfection; AI can only look up protocols. | 8% Needs a person |
| Deliver television sets, ironing boards, baby cribs, and rollaway beds to guests' rooms. Physical delivery of items; request logging could be digital. | 8% Needs a person |
| Clean rooms, hallways, lobbies, lounges, restrooms, corridors, elevators, stairways, locker rooms, and other work areas so that health standards are met. Hands-on cleaning of rooms and restrooms. | 6% Needs a person |
| Sort clothing and other articles, load washing machines, and iron and fold dried items. Physical sorting, loading, ironing and folding laundry. | 5% Needs a person |
Show the other 10 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Carry linens, towels, toilet items, and cleaning supplies, using wheeled carts. Physically pushing carts and carrying supplies. | 4% Needs a person |
| Empty wastebaskets, empty and clean ashtrays, and transport other trash and waste to disposal areas. Physically emptying bins and hauling trash. | 4% Needs a person |
| Wash windows, walls, ceilings, and woodwork, waxing and polishing as necessary. Physical washing of windows, walls and ceilings. | 4% Needs a person |
| Sweep, scrub, wax, or polish floors, using brooms, mops, or powered scrubbing and waxing machines. Operating mops, scrubbers and polishers on floors. | 3% Needs a person |
| Clean rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture, and draperies, using vacuum cleaners and shampooers. Operating vacuums and shampooers on carpets and upholstery. | 3% Needs a person |
| Hang draperies and dust window blinds. Physically hanging draperies and dusting blinds. | 3% Needs a person |
| Polish silver accessories and metalwork, such as fixtures and fittings. Hands-on polishing of silver and metal fixtures. | 3% Needs a person |
| Dust and polish furniture and equipment. Hands-on dusting and polishing of furniture. | 2% Needs a person |
| Move and arrange furniture and turn mattresses. Physically moving heavy furniture and mattresses. | 2% Needs a person |
| Replace light bulbs. Physical bulb replacement requiring hands and access. | 2% Needs a person |
How maids compare
All occupations (923)
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance (8)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $35,510 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 860,670 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +0.6% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Log linen counts and supply levels in inventory tracking software
- Submit and track repair tickets in CMMS
- Update room status in computerized bed control system software
- Build par level sheets in Microsoft Excel
- Operate floor scrubbers, polishers and carpet shampooers safely
- Report damage, theft and found articles to supervisors in writing
Safer roles nearby
A related occupation with a lower score.
Questions about maids and AI
Will AI replace maids?
Partly. About 1 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly requesting repairs and sorting linens. Hands-on work like making beds, scrubbing floors and moving furniture stays with people.
Which maid tasks is AI taking over?
Repair requests and linen sorting carry the highest exposure. Requesting repairs scores 35 on exposure, since the ticket can be digital while the wait for a repair worker is physical. Linen sorting scores 18, because counts can be logged digitally while the folding and storing stay with hands.
Which maid tasks stay human?
Dusting furniture, moving furniture, turning mattresses, scrubbing floors and cleaning carpets all score 2 or 3 on exposure. These tasks need a person operating equipment or handling objects in a room, so AI has little to take over. They sit in the 97 percent of task weight that stays human.
How can maids stay valuable as AI spreads?
Learn the CMMS and bed control systems so you can file and close repair tickets yourself. Keep par levels current in Microsoft Excel so supply shortfalls get caught before a shift. Get trained on floor machines and carpet shampooers, since that hands-on skill scores 3 on exposure.
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