← All 785 jobsFile 51-4041
Machinists
Mostly untouched
AI barely touches this work so far. The BLS expects 1% more of these jobs by 2035, slower than the 3.5% average.
- Rank
- #392 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +1% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $58,750 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 288,300 in the US, with about 26,100 openings a year
The work, 26 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
AI helps with this: Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment12%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,656 conversations, and it got them there 84% of the time.
Still yours: Operate industrial processing or production equipment8%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Operate cutting or grinding equipment7%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Monitor equipment operation6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Communicate with others about operational plans or activities6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 354 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
Still yours: Position workpieces or materials on equipment6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Test performance of equipment or systems5%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,100 conversations, and it got them there 92% of the time.
AI does this: Advise others on business or operational matters4%
AI performed this in about 1 in 290 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
Still yours: Maintain tools or equipment4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Assemble equipment or components4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Read documents or materials to inform work processes3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 214 Copilot conversations and completed it 87% of the time.
AI does this: Program computer systems or production equipment3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 822 Copilot conversations and completed it 87% of the time.
AI helps with this: Diagnose system or equipment problems3%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 245 conversations, and it got them there 90% of the time. In this job the work is hands-on, so AI can only assist.
Still yours: Dispose of waste or debris3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Sort materials or products3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Determine operational methods or procedures3%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 221 conversations, and it got them there 93% of the time. In this job the work is hands-on, so AI can only assist.
Still yours: Prepare industrial materials for processing or use3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Position materials or components for assembly2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Design industrial systems or equipment2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Disassemble equipment2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Repair tools or equipment2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Set up equipment2%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 511 conversations, and it got them there 95% of the time.
Still yours: Join parts using soldering, welding, or brazing techniques2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Test characteristics of materials or products2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Plan work activities1%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 482 conversations, and it got them there 94% of the time. In this job the work is hands-on, so AI can only assist.
AI helps with this: Create visual designs or displays1%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 78 conversations, and it got them there 40% of the time.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 101 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
About 26,100 openings a year, from growth and from people who retire or move on.
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 47% of the workMultiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic9% AI does, against 17% here+0.6% by 2035 · $47,180 · High school diploma
- Shares 38% of the workSemiconductor Processing Technicians5% AI does, against 17% here+8.2% by 2035 · $51,430 · High school diploma
- Shares 37% of the workInspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers10% AI does, against 17% here+2.5% by 2035 · $48,570 · High school diploma
The wire
On the wire.
Nothing filed about this job yet. The latest from the Work front:
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.16, higher than 55% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 51-4041 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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