AI exposure Construction and extraction
Will AI replace operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators. US occupation 47-2073.
The reading
0.0%
of the time operating engineers and other construction equipment operators spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators' 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.
Per cent of working time Square-law scale
Average US job 7.7%
Among the least exposed jobs there are.Still waiting for liberation.
What AI already does for operating engineers and other construction equipment operatorsWhat operating engineers and other construction equipment operators no longer do alone
O*NET lists 26 tasks for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.
What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human
26 of the 26 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.
- Adjust handwheels and depress pedals to control attachments, such as blades, buckets, scrapers, or swing booms.Core task
- Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.Core task
- Connect hydraulic hoses, belts, mechanical linkages, or power takeoff shafts to tractors.Core task
- Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.Core task
- Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain.Core task
- Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.Core task
Show the other 20
- Learn and follow safety regulations.Core task
- Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.Core task
- Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.Core task
- Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.Core task
- Operate equipment to demolish or remove debris or to remove snow from streets, roads, or parking lots.Core task
- Operate loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough-grade properties, bury refuse, or perform general cleanup.Core task
- Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots.Core task
- Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.Core task
- Select and fasten bulldozer blades or other attachments to tractors, using hitches.Core task
- Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.Core task
- Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.Core task
- Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.Core task
- Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
- Drive tractor-trailer trucks to move equipment from site to site.
- Operate compactors, scrapers, or rollers to level, compact, or cover refuse at disposal grounds.
- Operate road watering, oiling, or rolling equipment, or street sealing equipment, such as chip spreaders.
- Push other equipment when extra traction or assistance is required.
- Talk to clients and study instructions, plans, or diagrams to establish work requirements.
- Test atmosphere for adequate oxygen or explosive conditions when working in confined spaces.
- Turn valves to control air or water output of compressors or pumps.
How that compares
Among the 56 construction and extraction occupations, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators rank 36. The group averages 0.4%, and its most exposed job is Structural Iron and Steel Workers at 4.9%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.
Level with 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.