[iguy]

If work means mechanical work (which was once important!) then machines must be well over 99% now.

More generally, the only sensible answer is probably to divide labor productivity today with that of pre-industrial labor. Which amounts to approximately the ratio of GDPs. Which means about 500/50_000 (USD, very roughly). Which again leads to the conclusion that machines & automation are doing about 99% of the work, right now.

We don't have mass unemployment because all the people no longer working with their muscles have found other jobs, providing things other than food, which their ancestors simply didn't have. Like hospitals, HVAC, websites, and food stamp programs.

BTW both China and fast food are massively automated/mechanized. The price difference between McDonalds and having a personal chef cook you a similar burger is the degree to which machines have been used instead of human hands. The fact that none of them look like C-3PO is irrelevant.

[unishark]

If work also counts as things like performing mathematical calculations, communicating between people, data entry, and most other unskilled tasks, then your point still applies.

[bumby]

Comparing GDP only means we’ve gotten more efficient, and only when it’s compared on a per capita basis. It doesn’t mean machines are the sole method of that increase in production.