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AI exposure Production

Will AI replace grinding?

Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. US occupation 51-4033.

0.0%

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

O*NET lists 18 tasks for grinding. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

18 of the 18 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Activate machine start-up switches to grind, lap, hone, debar, shear, or cut workpieces, according to specifications.Core task
  • Brush or spray lubricating compounds on workpieces, or turn valve handles and direct flow of coolant against tools and workpieces.Core task
  • Compute machine indexings and settings for specified dimensions and base reference points.Core task
  • Inspect or measure finished workpieces to determine conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as gauges or micrometers.Core task
  • Lift and position workpieces, manually or with hoists, and secure them in hoppers or on machine tables, faceplates, or chucks, using clamps.Core task
  • Measure workpieces and lay out work, using precision measuring devices.Core task
Show the other 12
  • Mount and position tools in machine chucks, spindles, or other tool holding devices, using hand tools.Core task
  • Move machine controls to index workpieces, and to adjust machines for pre-selected operational settings.Core task
  • Observe machine operations to detect any problems, making necessary adjustments to correct problems.Core task
  • Repair or replace machine parts, using hand tools, or notify engineering personnel when corrective action is required.Core task
  • Select machine tooling to be used, using knowledge of machine and production requirements.Core task
  • Set and adjust machine controls according to product specifications, using knowledge of machine operation.Core task
  • Set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic workpieces.Core task
  • Study blueprints, work orders, or machining instructions to determine product specifications, tool requirements, and operational sequences.Core task
  • Adjust air cylinders and setting stops to set traverse lengths and feed arm strokes.
  • Maintain stocks of machine parts and machining tools.
  • Slide spacers between buffs on spindles to set spacing.
  • Thread and hand-feed materials through machine cutters or abraders.

How that compares

Among the 98 production occupations, grinding rank 49. 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. 346Glaziers 0.0%
  2. 346Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products 0.0%
  3. 346Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand 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.