AI exposure score

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners

Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners 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 18 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: 5,600BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $50,060a year
In real AI use: 0 of 18tasks, 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: 17 (94%)

Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Compute numbers, widths, and angles of cutting tools, micrometers, scales, and gauges, and adjust tools to produce specified cuts.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Turn valves to direct flow of coolant against cutting wheels and workpieces during grinding.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Set up and operate grinding or polishing machines to grind metal workpieces, such as dies, parts, and tools.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Dress grinding wheels, according to specifications.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
File or finish surfaces of workpieces, using prescribed hand tools.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Perform basic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating machine parts.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Remove finished workpieces from machines and place them in boxes or on racks, setting aside pieces that are defective.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Remove and replace worn or broken machine parts, using hand tools.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Fit parts together in pre-assembly to ensure that dimensions are accurate.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Attach workpieces to grinding machines and form specified sections and repair cracks, using welding or brazing equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Duplicate workpiece contours, using tracer attachments.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Inspect dies to detect defects, assess wear, and verify specifications, using micrometers, steel gauge pins, and loupes.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Place workpieces in electroplating solutions or apply pigments to surfaces of workpieces to highlight ridges and grooves.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Straighten workpieces and remove dents, using straightening presses and hammers.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

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Questions about tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners and AI

Will AI replace tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners score 3 out of 100 (low exposure), #851 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 1 of the job's 18 tasks, 0 of them on its own, while 17 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Study blueprints or layouts of metal workpieces to determine grinding procedures, and to plan machine setups and operational sequences".

Which tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Monitor machine operations to determine whether adjustments are necessary, stopping machines when problems occur"; "Inspect, feel, and measure workpieces to ensure that surfaces and dimensions meet specifications"; "Select and mount grinding wheels on machines, according to specifications, using hand tools and applying knowledge of abrasives and grinding procedures".

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 tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners, and what do they earn?

About 5,600 people in the US, with median pay of $50,060 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.