Roof Bolters, Mining

Roof Bolters, Mining score 0 out of 100, which is low exposure to AI. That ranks #876 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 14 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 0 on its own and 0 more with extra software built on top of it. None of its tasks showed up in real AI use in April–May 2026.

0/ 100

Low

Rank: #876of 923 jobs
US workers: 2,160BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $78,540a year
In real AI use: 0 of 14tasks, 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: 0 (0%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 14 (100%)

Drill bolt holes into roofs at specified distances from ribs or adjacent bolts.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Pull down loose rock that cannot be supported.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Position bolting machines, and insert drill bits into chucks.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Perform safety checks on equipment before operating.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Perform tests to determine if methane gas is present.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Force bolts into holes, using hydraulic mechanisms of self-propelled bolting machines.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Perform ventilation tasks, such as hanging ventilation curtains and tubes.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Dust rocks after bolting.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Install various types of bolts, including truss, glue, and resin bolts, traversing entire ceiling spans.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Drill test holes and test bolts for specified tension, using torque wrenches.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Position safety jacks to support underground mine roofs until bolts can be installed.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Rotate chucks to turn bolts and open expansion heads against rock formations.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Remove drill bits from chucks after drilling holes, and insert bolts into chucks.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Tighten ends of anchored truss bolts, using turnbuckles.Little or no AI speed-up · core task

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Questions about roof bolters, mining and AI

Will AI replace roof bolters, mining?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Roof Bolters, Mining score 0 out of 100 (low exposure), #876 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 0 of the job's 14 tasks, 0 of them on its own, while 14 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which roof bolters, mining tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Drill bolt holes into roofs at specified distances from ribs or adjacent bolts"; "Pull down loose rock that cannot be supported"; "Position bolting machines, and insert drill bits into chucks".

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 roof bolters, mining, and what do they earn?

About 2,160 people in the US, with median pay of $78,540 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.