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AI exposure Construction and extraction

Will AI replace derrick operators?

Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas. US occupation 47-5011.

0.0%

of the time derrick operators spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of derrick operators' 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 derrick operatorsWhat derrick operators no longer do alone

O*NET lists 15 tasks for derrick operators. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

15 of the 15 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Clamp holding fixtures on ends of hoisting cables.Core task
  • Control the viscosity and weight of the drilling fluid.Core task
  • Guide lengths of pipe into and out of elevators.Core task
  • Inspect derricks for flaws, and clean and oil derricks to maintain proper working conditions.Core task
  • Inspect derricks, or order their inspection, prior to being raised or lowered.Core task
  • Listen to mud pumps and check regularly for vibration and other problems to ensure that rig pumps and drilling mud systems are working properly.Core task
Show the other 9
  • Position and align derrick elements, using harnesses and platform climbing devices.Core task
  • Prepare mud reports, and instruct crews about the handling of any chemical additives.Core task
  • Repair pumps, mud tanks, and related equipment.Core task
  • Start pumps that circulate mud through drill pipes and boreholes to cool drill bits and flush out drill cuttings.Core task
  • Steady pipes during connection to or disconnection from drill or casing strings.Core task
  • String cables through pulleys and blocks.Core task
  • Supervise crew members, and provide assistance in training them.Core task
  • Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud, using portable mixers.Core task
  • Set and bolt crown blocks to posts at tops of derricks.

How that compares

Among the 56 construction and extraction occupations, derrick operators rank 14. The group averages 0.4%, and its most exposed job is Structural Iron and Steel Workers at 4.9%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Dental Hygienists 0.0%
  2. 346Dental Laboratory Technicians 0.0%
  3. 346Dermatologists 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.