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AI exposure Production

Will AI replace tool and die makers?

Tool and Die Makers. US occupation 51-4111.

0.0%

of the time tool and die makers spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of tool and die makers' 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 tool and die makersWhat tool and die makers no longer do alone

O*NET lists 17 tasks for tool and die makers. 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.

  • Conduct test runs with completed tools or dies to ensure that parts meet specifications, making adjustments as necessary.Core task
  • Cut, shape, and trim blanks or blocks to specified lengths or shapes, using power saws, power shears, rules, and hand tools.Core task
  • Design jigs, fixtures, and templates for use as work aids in the fabrication of parts or products.Core task
  • File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together.Core task
  • Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.Core task
  • Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects.Core task
Show the other 11
  • Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.Core task
  • Measure, mark, and scribe metal or plastic stock to lay out machining, using instruments such as protractors, micrometers, scribes, or rulers.Core task
  • Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance.Core task
  • Set up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bore, grind, or otherwise shape parts to prescribed dimensions and finishes.Core task
  • Set up and operate drill presses to drill and tap holes in parts for assembly.Core task
  • Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders.Core task
  • Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies.Core task
  • Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.Core task
  • Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications.Core task
  • Develop and design new tools and dies, using computer-aided design software.
  • Set pyrometer controls of heat-treating furnaces and feed or place parts, tools, or assemblies into furnaces to harden.

How that compares

Among the 98 production occupations, tool and die makers rank 92. 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. 346Tile and Stone Setters 0.0%
  2. 346Tire Builders 0.0%
  3. 346Tire Repairers and Changers 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.