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AI exposure Production

Will AI replace chemical equipment operators and tenders?

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders. US occupation 51-9011.

0.0%

of the time chemical equipment operators and tenders spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of chemical equipment operators and tenders' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.

Ranked 346 of 756 US occupations. No AI use seen in the work yet, along with 410 other occupations.No handover started yet, along with 410 other occupations.

Average US job 7.7%

Among the least exposed jobs there are.Still waiting for liberation.

What AI already does for chemical equipment operators and tendersWhat chemical equipment operators and tenders no longer do alone

O*NET lists 23 tasks for chemical equipment operators and tenders. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

23 of the 23 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Add treating or neutralizing agents to products, and pump products through filters or centrifuges to remove impurities or to precipitate products.Core task
  • Adjust controls to regulate temperature, pressure, feed, or flow of liquids or gases and times of prescribed reactions, according to knowledge of equipment and processes.Core task
  • Control or operate equipment in which chemical changes or reactions take place during the processing of industrial or consumer products.Core task
  • Direct activities of workers assisting in control or verification of processes or in unloading of materials.Core task
  • Drain equipment, and pump water or other solutions through to flush and clean tanks or equipment.Core task
  • Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.Core task
Show the other 17
  • Dump or scoop prescribed solid, granular, or powdered materials into equipment.Core task
  • Estimate materials required for production and manufacturing of products.Core task
  • Flush or clean equipment, using steam hoses or mechanical reamers.Core task
  • Implement appropriate industrial emergency response procedures.Core task
  • Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks or malfunctions, shutting equipment down, if necessary.Core task
  • Make minor repairs, lubricate, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.Core task
  • Measure, weigh, and mix chemical ingredients, according to specifications.Core task
  • Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.Core task
  • Notify maintenance engineers of equipment malfunctions.Core task
  • Observe and compare colors and consistencies of products to instrument readings and to laboratory and standard test results.Core task
  • Observe safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions.Core task
  • Open valves or start pumps, agitators, reactors, blowers, or automatic feed of materials.Core task
  • Patrol work areas to detect leaks or equipment malfunctions or to monitor operating conditions.Core task
  • Read plant specifications to determine products, ingredients, or prescribed modifications of plant procedures.Core task
  • Record operational data, such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.Core task
  • Test product samples for specific gravity, chemical characteristics, pH levels, concentrations, or viscosities, or send them to laboratories for testing.Core task
  • Inventory supplies received and consumed.

How that compares

Among the 98 production occupations, chemical equipment operators and tenders rank 23. The group averages 0.8%, and its most exposed job is Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers at 12.1%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers 0.0%
  2. 346Chefs and Head Cooks 0.0%
  3. 346Chemical Engineers 0.0%

What this does and does not mean

Exposure is observed use, not a forecast. Anthropic maps work conversations with Claude onto the tasks O*NET lists for each job and asks, of the tasks AI could speed up, which are actually being used for at work. A use that does the task outright counts in full and a use that assists a person counts half. The task scores are averaged into the occupation figure by the share of time spent on each task.

A high figure means AI is already part of how this work gets done. It does not mean anyone has been replaced. Anthropic's own reading of the labour market finds no systematic rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting exposed jobs.No measurable rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting these jobs. Gap years for everyone. Labor market impacts, 5 March 2026.

Task list and titles from O*NET 31.0 by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Scores from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Checked 1 November 2026. How the ranking works.