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AI exposure Transportation and material moving

Will AI replace ship engineers?

Ship Engineers. US occupation 53-5031.

0.0%

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

O*NET lists 17 tasks for ship engineers. 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.

  • Act as a liaison between a ship's captain and shore personnel to ensure that schedules and budgets are maintained and that the ship is operated safely and efficiently.Core task
  • Clean engine parts and keep engine rooms clean.Core task
  • Install engine controls, propeller shafts, or propellers.Core task
  • Maintain complete records of engineering department activities, including machine operations.Core task
  • Maintain electrical power, heating, ventilation, refrigeration, water, or sewerage systems.Core task
  • Maintain or repair engines, electric motors, pumps, winches, or other mechanical or electrical equipment, or assist other crew members with maintenance or repair duties.Core task
Show the other 11
  • Monitor and test operations of engines or other equipment so that malfunctions and their causes can be identified.Core task
  • Monitor engine, machinery, or equipment indicators when vessels are underway, and report abnormalities to appropriate shipboard staff.Core task
  • Monitor the availability, use, or condition of lifesaving equipment or pollution preventatives to ensure that international regulations are followed.Core task
  • Operate or maintain off-loading liquid pumps or valves.Core task
  • Order and receive engine room stores, such as oil or spare parts, maintain inventories, and record usage of supplies.Core task
  • Perform general marine vessel maintenance or repair work, such as repairing leaks, finishing interiors, refueling, or maintaining decks.Core task
  • Perform or participate in emergency drills, as required.Core task
  • Record orders for changes in ship speed or direction, and note gauge readings or test data, such as revolutions per minute or voltage output, in engineering logs or bellbooks.Core task
  • Start engines to propel ships, and regulate engines and power transmissions to control speeds of ships, according to directions from captains or bridge computers.Core task
  • Supervise marine engine technicians engaged in the maintenance or repair of mechanical or electrical marine vessels, and inspect their work to ensure that it is performed properly.Core task
  • Fabricate engine replacement parts, such as valves, stay rods, or bolts, using metalworking machinery.

How that compares

Among the 44 transportation and material moving occupations, ship engineers rank 36. The group averages 0.6%, and its most exposed job is Passenger Attendants at 11.7%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Sewing Machine Operators 0.0%
  2. 346Shampooers 0.0%
  3. 346Sheet Metal 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.