Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers score 3 out of 100, which is low exposure to AI. That ranks #851 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 16 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 0 on its own and 1 more with extra software built on top of it. None of its tasks showed up in real AI use in April–May 2026.

3/ 100

Low

Rank: #851of 923 jobs
US workers: 95,580BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $39,630a year
In real AI use: 0 of 16tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 0 (0%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 1 (6%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 15 (94%)

Order new parts to maintain inventory.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Install or replace machinery, equipment, and new or replacement parts and instruments, using hand or power tools.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Examine and test machinery, equipment, components, and parts for defects to ensure proper functioning.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Tend and observe equipment and machinery to verify efficient and safe operation.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Adjust, connect, or disconnect wiring, piping, tubing, and other parts, using hand or power tools.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Clean or lubricate vehicles, machinery, equipment, instruments, tools, work areas, and other objects, using hand tools, power tools, and cleaning equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Hold or supply tools, parts, equipment, and supplies for other workers.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Diagnose electrical problems and install and rewire electrical components.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Disassemble broken or defective equipment to facilitate repair and reassemble equipment when repairs are complete.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Position vehicles, machinery, equipment, physical structures, and other objects for assembly or installation, using hand tools, power tools, and moving equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Transfer tools, parts, equipment, and supplies to and from work stations and other areas.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Adjust, maintain, and repair tools, equipment, and machines, and assist more skilled workers with similar tasks.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Apply protective materials to equipment, components, and parts to prevent defects and corrosion.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Design, weld, and fabricate parts, using blueprints or other mechanical plans.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Assemble and maintain physical structures, using hand or power tools.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Prepare work stations for use by mechanics and repairers.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

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Similar jobs, lower exposure

Related occupations that score at least 10 points lower.

This job is already among the least exposed in its field.

Other jobs in this field

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair occupations close to this one.

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Questions about helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers and AI

Will AI replace helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers score 3 out of 100 (low exposure), #851 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 1 of the job's 16 tasks, 0 of them on its own, while 15 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Order new parts to maintain inventory".

Which helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Install or replace machinery, equipment, and new or replacement parts and instruments, using hand or power tools"; "Examine and test machinery, equipment, components, and parts for defects to ensure proper functioning"; "Tend and observe equipment and machinery to verify efficient and safe operation".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Not much yet. None of the job's tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude in April–May 2026, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers, and what do they earn?

About 95,580 people in the US, with median pay of $39,630 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.