Hospitals use software to schedule operating rooms, track instruments and keep surgical records. Surgical technologists and surgical assistants still prepare the room, sterilize and pass instruments, keep the field sterile and help the surgeon during the operation.
The short answer: current evidence points to very little AI exposure for this hands-on job. The ILO's 2025 index rates health associate professionals not elsewhere classified, the closest group, at minimal exposure with a score of 0.30. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5 percent growth for surgical technologists from 2025 to 2035, faster than average, and about 8,600 openings a year for surgical assistants and technologists together. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed surgical technologists are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Associate Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified | Minimal exposure | 0.30 |
The ILO scores groups of occupations, so this is the closest group for surgical technologists, not a score for the job title itself. The ILO index measures generative AI, not robots or automated machines.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Surgical technologists | Grow 5% | In total |
| Surgical assistants | Grow 6% | In total |
| Total for the group | Grow 5% | About 8,600 |
The BLS ties growth to an aging population and more demand for surgery, especially in outpatient settings such as ambulatory surgery centers, as advances in medical technology and insurance changes move more procedures there. Its outlook does not mention AI.
Where AI is helping
- Scheduling operating rooms and staff.
- Tracking instruments, sterilization and supply counts.
- Drafting case records and preference cards.
- Answering reference questions about procedures and equipment.
What stays with surgical technologists
- Sterile field: setting it up and keeping it sterile through the case.
- Instruments: anticipating and passing what the surgeon needs.
- Counts and safety: accounting for sponges, sharps and instruments with the team.
- Checking AI help: software answers and records can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
More surgery is moving to outpatient centers, and new equipment means more to learn and set up. The core work happens at the table with the team. This page is general information, not medical or career advice.
See also will AI replace nurses?, will AI replace lab technicians? and will AI replace respiratory therapists?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for surgical technologists at $64,700 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: postsecondary nondegree award. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace surgical technologists?
Not on current evidence. The closest ILO group has minimal exposure, and the BLS projects 5 percent growth from 2025 to 2035.
Why is surgical technologist employment growing?
The BLS cites an aging population and more surgery, especially in outpatient centers.
How many surgical technologist openings are expected?
The BLS projects about 8,600 openings a year for surgical assistants and technologists combined.
What surgical work stays human?
Keeping the sterile field, passing instruments, safety counts and checking any software output.