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AI exposure Production

Will AI replace tool grinders?

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners. US occupation 51-4194.

0.0%

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

O*NET lists 18 tasks for tool grinders. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

18 of the 18 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Compute numbers, widths, and angles of cutting tools, micrometers, scales, and gauges, and adjust tools to produce specified cuts.Core task
  • Dress grinding wheels, according to specifications.Core task
  • File or finish surfaces of workpieces, using prescribed hand tools.Core task
  • Fit parts together in pre-assembly to ensure that dimensions are accurate.Core task
  • Inspect dies to detect defects, assess wear, and verify specifications, using micrometers, steel gauge pins, and loupes.Core task
  • Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications.Core task
Show the other 12
  • Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur.Core task
  • Perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating machine parts.Core task
  • Remove and replace worn or broken machine parts, using hand tools.Core task
  • Remove finished workpieces from machines and place them in boxes or on racks, setting aside pieces that are defective.Core task
  • Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures.Core task
  • Set up and operate grinding or polishing machines to grind metal workpieces, such as dies, parts, and tools.Core task
  • Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences.Core task
  • Attach workpieces to grinding machines and form specified sections and repair cracks, using welding or brazing equipment.
  • Duplicate workpiece contours, using tracer attachments.
  • Place workpieces in electroplating solutions or apply pigments to surfaces of workpieces to highlight ridges and grooves.
  • Straighten workpieces and remove dents, using straightening presses and hammers.
  • Turn valves to direct flow of coolant against cutting wheels and workpieces during grinding.

How that compares

Among the 98 production occupations, tool grinders rank 93. 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. 346Tire Builders 0.0%
  2. 346Tire Repairers and Changers 0.0%
  3. 346Tool and Die Makers 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.