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AI exposure Production

Will AI replace furnace?

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders. US occupation 51-9051.

0.0%

of the time furnace spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of furnace's 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 furnaceWhat furnace no longer do alone

O*NET lists 17 tasks for furnace. 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.

  • Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems.Core task
  • Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications.Core task
  • Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards.Core task
  • Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications.Core task
  • Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules.Core task
  • Record gauge readings, test results, and shift production in log books.Core task
Show the other 11
  • Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists.Core task
  • Calculate amounts of materials to be loaded into furnaces, adjusting amounts as necessary for specific conditions.
  • Clean, lubricate, and adjust equipment, using scrapers, solvents, air hoses, oil, and hand tools.
  • Direct crane operators and crew members to load vessels with materials to be processed.
  • Feed fuel, such as coal and coke, into fireboxes or onto conveyors, and remove ashes from furnaces, using shovels and buckets.
  • Load equipment receptacles or conveyors with material to be processed, by hand or using hoists.
  • Melt or refine metal before casting, calculating required temperatures, and observe metal color, adjusting controls as necessary to maintain required temperatures.
  • Remove products from equipment, manually or using hoists, and prepare them for storage, shipment, or additional processing.
  • Replace worn or defective equipment parts, using hand tools.
  • Stop equipment and clear blockages or jams, using fingers, wire, or hand tools.
  • Weigh or measure specified amounts of ingredients or materials for processing, using devices such as scales and calipers.

How that compares

Among the 98 production occupations, furnace rank 46. 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. 346Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 0.0%
  2. 346Foundry Mold and Coremakers 0.0%
  3. 346Funeral Attendants 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.