Lightcast's UK Automation Index uses data from different sources to assess the proportion of working time spent in each occupation performing tasks which are at 'high risk' of disruption through automation and other technological change anticipated over the next 20 to 30 years. Estimates of how much time is spent performing those tasks are constructed using the frequencies for different Work Activities in the US ONET database, and mapped across to UK SOC. The relationship between different 38 task categories and Frey and Osborne’s estimates of the ‘probability of computerisation’ is used to classify each task category as high, middle, or low risk depending on the significance and direction of that relationship. The index is directly applicable as the amount of working time which can be disrupted by technological change; it ranges between 0% (no working time spent performing tasks at high risk) to 100% (all working time spent performing tasks at high risk).

Note: automation index is unavailable for Legislators, Military, and Unclassified occupations, so they are excluded from aggregate indexes for higher-level occupations.