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AI exposure Production

Will AI replace drilling and boring machine tool setters?

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. US occupation 51-4032.

0.0%

of the time drilling and boring machine tool setters spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of drilling and boring machine tool setters' 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 drilling and boring machine tool settersWhat drilling and boring machine tool setters no longer do alone

O*NET lists 17 tasks for drilling and boring machine tool setters. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

17 of the 17 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Change worn cutting tools, using wrenches.Core task
  • Establish zero reference points on workpieces, such as at the intersections of two edges or over hole locations.Core task
  • Install tools in spindles.Core task
  • Lay out reference lines and machining locations on work, using layout tools, and applying knowledge of shop math and layout techniques.Core task
  • Lift workpieces onto work tables either manually or with hoists or direct crane operators to lift and position workpieces.Core task
  • Move machine controls to lower tools to workpieces and to engage automatic feeds.Core task
Show the other 11
  • Observe drilling or boring machine operations to detect any problems.Core task
  • Operate single- or multiple-spindle drill presses to bore holes so that machining operations can be performed on metal or plastic workpieces.Core task
  • Perform minor assembly, such as fastening parts with nuts, bolts, or screws, using power tools or hand tools.Core task
  • Position and secure workpieces on tables, using bolts, jigs, clamps, shims, or other holding devices.Core task
  • Select and set cutting speeds, feed rates, depths of cuts, and cutting tools, according to machining instructions or knowledge of metal properties.Core task
  • Sharpen cutting tools, using bench grinders.Core task
  • Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.Core task
  • Turn valves and direct flow of coolants or cutting oil over cutting areas.Core task
  • Verify conformance of machined work to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, micrometers, or fixed or telescoping gauges.Core task
  • Verify that workpiece reference lines are parallel to the axis of table rotation, using dial indicators mounted in spindles.Core task
  • Operate tracing attachments to duplicate contours from templates or models.

How that compares

Among the 98 production occupations, drilling and boring machine tool setters rank 32. 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. 346Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers 0.0%
  2. 346Dishwashers 0.0%
  3. 346Dredge Operators 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.