Cashiers
Every task in this role, whether it passes the census's structural hand-over screen, which models pass it, and why. It is a screen, not a claim about what AI can do: a task can pass and still be beyond the systems of the day. The stricter and looser rules re-vote every task, and small differences between roles are noise.
Passes the screen · 4 of 28 tasks
Compute and record totals of transactions.
quick to check, an existing check settles it, and a mistake is cheap · 3.9% of the role's time · $3.9B · all three pass it
Calculate total payments received during a time period, and reconcile this with total sales.
quick to check, an existing check settles it, and a mistake is cheap · 2.5% of the role's time · $2.5B · passed by Gemini 3.1 Pro, GPT-6 Sol · the models disagreed
Keep periodic balance sheets of amounts and numbers of transactions.
quick to check, an existing check settles it, and a mistake is cheap · 2.1% of the role's time · $2.1B · passed by Gemini 3.1 Pro, GPT-6 Sol · the models disagreed
Post charges against guests' or patients' accounts.
quick to check, an existing check settles it, and a mistake is cheap · 2.0% of the role's time · $2.0B · passed by Claude Sonnet, Gemini 3.1 Pro · the models disagreed
Does not pass
Receive payment by cash, check, credit cards, vouchers, or automatic debits.
physical work, outside the screen · 8.2% of the role's time · $8.2B
Issue receipts, refunds, credits, or change due to customers.
physical work, outside the screen · 7.2% of the role's time · $7.2B
Greet customers entering establishments.
physical work, outside the screen · 6.7% of the role's time · $6.7B
Answer incoming phone calls.
reason given most often: no existing check settles it · 6.3% of the role's time · $6.3B · passed by GPT-6 Sol · the models disagreed · waiting on a check
Answer customers' questions, and provide information on procedures or policies.
reason given most often: no existing check settles it · 5.3% of the role's time · $5.3B · waiting on a check
Assist customers by providing information and resolving their complaints.
reason given most often: no existing check settles it · 4.8% of the role's time · $4.8B
Establish or identify prices of goods, services, or admission, and tabulate bills, using calculators, cash registers, or optical price scanners.
physical work, outside the screen · 4.6% of the role's time · $4.6B
Help customers find the location of products.
physical work, outside the screen · 4.3% of the role's time · $4.3B
Request information or assistance, using paging systems.
physical work, outside the screen · 4.1% of the role's time · $4.1B
Maintain clean and orderly checkout areas, and complete other general cleaning duties, such as mopping floors and emptying trash cans.
physical work, outside the screen · 3.9% of the role's time · $3.9B
Monitor checkout stations to ensure they have adequate cash available and are staffed appropriately.
physical work, outside the screen · 3.6% of the role's time · $3.6B
Count money in cash drawers at the beginning of shifts to ensure that amounts are correct and that there is adequate change.
physical work, outside the screen · 3.0% of the role's time · $3.0B
Stock shelves, sort and reshelve returned items, and mark prices on items and shelves.
physical work, outside the screen · 2.6% of the role's time · $2.6B
Sort, count, and wrap currency and coins.
physical work, outside the screen · 2.6% of the role's time · $2.6B
Process merchandise returns and exchanges.
physical work, outside the screen · 2.6% of the role's time · $2.6B
Assist with duties in other areas of the store, such as monitoring fitting rooms or bagging and carrying out customers' items.
physical work, outside the screen · 2.5% of the role's time · $2.5B
Offer customers carry-out service at the completion of transactions.
physical work, outside the screen · 2.5% of the role's time · $2.5B
Bag, box, wrap, or gift-wrap merchandise, and prepare packages for shipment.
physical work, outside the screen · 2.4% of the role's time · $2.4B
Issue trading stamps, and redeem food stamps and coupons.
physical work, outside the screen · 2.3% of the role's time · $2.3B
Supervise others and provide on-the-job training.
reason given most often: nobody can tell quickly whether it worked, and no existing check settles it · 2.3% of the role's time · $2.3B
Sell tickets and other items to customers.
physical work, outside the screen · 2.0% of the role's time · $2.0B
Weigh items sold by weight to determine prices.
physical work, outside the screen · 1.9% of the role's time · $1.9B
Compile and maintain non-monetary reports and records.
reason given most often: no existing check settles it · 1.9% of the role's time · $1.9B · waiting on a check
Cash checks for customers.
physical work, outside the screen · 1.9% of the role's time · $1.9B
Where this role works
| Industry | Workers | Wage bill | Passes the screen | All three pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) | 838,060 | $27.4B | $2.8B | $1.1B |
| Gasoline Stations | 586,370 | $17.8B | $1.9B | $695M |
| General Merchandise Retailers | 554,230 | $17.3B | $1.8B | $675M |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | 281,470 | $8.3B | $866M | $325M |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | 152,360 | $5.1B | $528M | $198M |
| Building Material and Supplies Dealers | 145,390 | $4.9B | $512M | $192M |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers | 76,560 | $2.5B | $257M | $96.2M |
| Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers | 66,550 | $2.0B | $212M | $79.5M |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers (4594 and 4595 only) | 46,900 | $1.4B | $150M | $56.3M |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | 46,350 | $1.4B | $149M | $55.6M |