AI exposure Installation, maintenance and repair
Will AI replace industrial machinery mechanics?
Industrial Machinery Mechanics. US occupation 49-9041.
The reading
2.4%
of the time industrial machinery mechanics spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of industrial machinery mechanics' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.
Ranked 310 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 58% of them.Further along than 58% of them.
Per cent of working time Square-law scale
Average US job 7.7%
Around the middle of the pack.Keeping pace with the average job.
What AI already does for industrial machinery mechanicsWhat industrial machinery mechanics no longer do alone
O*NET lists 16 tasks for industrial machinery mechanics. AI use at work shows up in 1 of them. Each score runs from 0.5, where every observed use helps a person with the task, to 1, where every use does the task outright.
- Enter codes and instructions to program computer-controlled machinery.Core task mostly automated 0.93
What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human
15 of the 16 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.
- Analyze test results, machine error messages, or information obtained from operators to diagnose equipment problems.Core task
- Clean, lubricate, or adjust parts, equipment, or machinery.Core task
- Cut and weld metal to repair broken metal parts, fabricate new parts, or assemble new equipment.Core task
- Demonstrate equipment functions and features to machine operators.Core task
- Disassemble machinery or equipment to remove parts and make repairs.Core task
- Examine parts for defects, such as breakage or excessive wear.Core task
Show the other 9
- Observe and test the operation of machinery or equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using voltmeters or other testing devices.Core task
- Operate newly repaired machinery or equipment to verify the adequacy of repairs.Core task
- Reassemble equipment after completion of inspections, testing, or repairs.Core task
- Record parts or materials used and order or requisition new parts or materials, as necessary.Core task
- Record repairs and maintenance performed.Core task
- Repair or maintain the operating condition of industrial production or processing machinery or equipment.Core task
- Repair or replace broken or malfunctioning components of machinery or equipment.Core task
- Study blueprints or manufacturers' manuals to determine correct installation or operation of machinery.Core task
- Assign schedules to work crews.
How that compares
Among the 50 installation, maintenance and repair occupations, industrial machinery mechanics rank 6. The group averages 0.7%, and its most exposed job is Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers at 10.7%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.
Just above in the ranking
- 308Power Plant Operators 2.6%
- 308Special Education Teachers, All Other 2.6%
- 310Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary 2.4%
Just below
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.