Analyze laboratory specimens to detect abnormalities or other problems.

Analyze laboratory specimens to detect abnormalities or other problems. is a detailed work activity in O*NET — a concrete unit of work shared across 4 occupations and seen in 17 occupation-specific tasks. It rolls up into the broader work activity Analyze biological or chemical substances or related data. in Analyzing Data or Information .

Detailed work activities are the most granular shared layer in O*NET's work-activity hierarchy (Generalized → Intermediate → Detailed → occupation-specific task). The figures below describe how this activity shows up across the economy and what independent studies measure about AI and this kind of work — not a prediction that the work will be automated.

AI exposure

Of the 17 tasks under this activity that the OpenAI / Eloundou “GPTs are GPTs” study rated, 13 (76%) are flagged as directly exposed to language models (E1) or exposed via model-powered tools (E2).

The Anthropic Economic Index observes real AI use on 5 of these tasks, with a mean mapped-usage share of 0.007% per task.

Exposure estimates overlap with model capabilities — whether a model could speed the task up — not whether the work will be done by software. Observed AI use is augmentation and assistance today, not jobs replaced.

Member tasks

Occupation-specific tasks O*NET maps to this detailed work activity, most important first.

• Count numbers of chromosomes and identify the structural abnormalities by viewing culture slides through microscopes, light microscopes, or photomicroscopes. · Cytogenetic Technologists · importance 5.0 · exposure with tools
• Examine cell samples to detect abnormalities in the color, shape, or size of cellular components and patterns. · Cytotechnologists · importance 5.0 · exposure with tools
• Examine chromosomes found in biological specimens to detect abnormalities. · Cytogenetic Technologists · importance 5.0 · exposure with tools
• Examine microscopic samples to identify diseases or other abnormalities. · Physicians, Pathologists · importance 4.9 · exposure with tools
• Analyze chromosomes found in biological specimens to aid diagnoses and treatments for genetic diseases such as congenital disabilities, fertility problems, and hematological disorders. · Cytogenetic Technologists · importance 4.9 · exposure with tools
• Prepare and analyze samples, such as Papanicolaou (PAP) smear body fluids and fine needle aspirations (FNAs), to detect abnormal conditions. · Cytotechnologists · importance 4.9 · exposure with tools
• Analyze samples of biological material for chemical content or reaction. · Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists · importance 4.8 · no direct exposure
• Conduct chemical analysis of body fluids, including blood, urine, or spinal fluid, to determine presence of normal or abnormal components. · Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists · importance 4.8 · no direct exposure
• Conduct chemical analyses of body fluids, such as blood or urine, using microscope or automatic analyzer to detect abnormalities or diseases and enter findings into computer. · Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians · importance 4.8 · exposure with tools
• Collect and study blood samples to determine the number of cells, their morphology, or their blood group, blood type, or compatibility for transfusion purposes, using microscopic techniques. · Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists · importance 4.7 · no direct exposure
• Examine cells stained with dye to locate abnormalities. · Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians · importance 4.5 · exposure with tools
• Recognize and report abnormalities in the color, size, shape, composition, or pattern of cells. · Cytogenetic Technologists · importance 4.5 · exposure with tools
• Cultivate, isolate, or assist in identifying microbial organisms or perform various tests on these microorganisms. · Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists · importance 4.5 · no direct exposure
• Identify tissue structures or cell components to be used in the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of diseases. · Histotechnologists · importance 3.9 · exposure with tools
• Conduct genetic analyses of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or chromosomes to diagnose small biopsies and cell samples. · Physicians, Pathologists · importance 3.9 · exposure with tools
• Perform laboratory analyses or physical inspections of samples to detect disease or to assess purity or cleanliness. · Occupational Health and Safety Specialists · importance 3.1 · exposure with tools
• Examine specimens to detect abnormal hormone conditions. · Cytotechnologists · importance 2.4 · exposure with tools

Occupations that perform this

• Cytogenetic Technologists
• Physicians, Pathologists
• Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians
• Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

• O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
• Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

@misc{singulariki-analyze-laboratory-specimens-to-detect-abnormalities-or-other-problems,
  title  = {Analyze laboratory specimens to detect abnormalities or other problems.},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/detailed-activities/analyze-laboratory-specimens-to-detect-abnormalities-or-other-problems}
}