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AI exposure Architecture and engineering

Will AI replace materials engineers?

Materials Engineers. US occupation 17-2131.

0.0%

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

O*NET lists 21 tasks for materials engineers. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

21 of the 21 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.Core task
  • Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.Core task
  • Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees.Core task
  • Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.Core task
  • Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.Core task
  • Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.Core task
Show the other 15
  • Guide technical staff in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices.Core task
  • Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration.Core task
  • Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.Core task
  • Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives, as necessary.Core task
  • Plan and implement laboratory operations to develop material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards.Core task
  • Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components, using computers.Core task
  • Review new product plans, and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.Core task
  • Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace.Core task
  • Supervise production and testing processes in industrial settings, such as metal refining facilities, smelting or foundry operations, or nonmetallic materials production operations.Core task
  • Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists.Core task
  • Design processing plants and equipment.
  • Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.
  • Present technical information at conferences.
  • Teach in colleges and universities.
  • Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications.

How that compares

Among the 34 architecture and engineering occupations, materials engineers rank 29. The group averages 3.8%, and its most exposed job is Computer Hardware Engineers at 14.5%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers 0.0%
  2. 346Marriage and Family Therapists 0.0%
  3. 346Massage Therapists 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.