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AI exposure Production

Will AI replace lathe and turning machine tool setters?

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. US occupation 51-4034.

0.0%

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

O*NET lists 17 tasks for lathe and turning 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.

  • Adjust machine controls and change tool settings to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.Core task
  • Clean work area.Core task
  • Compute unspecified dimensions and machine settings, using knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.Core task
  • Crank machines through cycles, stopping to adjust tool positions and machine controls to ensure specified timing, clearances, and tolerances.Core task
  • Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators.Core task
  • Install holding fixtures, cams, gears, and stops to control stock and tool movement, using hand tools, power tools, and measuring instruments.Core task
Show the other 11
  • Lift metal stock or workpieces manually or using hoists, and position and secure them in machines, using fasteners and hand tools.Core task
  • Mount attachments, such as relieving or tracing attachments, to perform operations, such as duplicating contours of templates or trimming workpieces.Core task
  • Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces.Core task
  • Move toolholders manually or by turning handwheels, or engage automatic feeding mechanisms to feed tools to and along workpieces.Core task
  • Position, secure, and align cutting tools in toolholders on machines, using hand tools, and verify their positions with measuring instruments.Core task
  • Refill, change, and monitor the level of fluids, such as oil and coolant, in machines.Core task
  • Replace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies, using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines.Core task
  • Select cutting tools and tooling instructions, according to written specifications or knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.Core task
  • Start lathe or turning machines and observe operations to ensure that specifications are met.Core task
  • Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences.Core task
  • Turn valve handles to direct the flow of coolant onto work areas or to coat disks with spinning compounds.Core task

How that compares

Among the 98 production occupations, lathe and turning machine tool setters rank 52. 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. 346Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 0.0%
  2. 346Landscape Architects 0.0%
  3. 346Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 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.