Will AI replace earth drillers?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 3h 38m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The other 4h 22m (55%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 3.6% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

None of this job's tasks show regular AI use yet. That can mean the work is hands-on or in person, or simply that it rarely comes up in AI usage data.

For some tasks, yes. Robots have done 10 of this job's tasks in workplaces like this one, about 3h 38m of a typical shift. 8 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here. For 4 physical tasks, no robot has shown it can do the work yet.

• Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed. (39m a shift; e.g. Sandvik Leopard DI650i with AutoMine (LKAB Leveaniemi open pit), in use)
• Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled. (34m a shift; e.g. Cat MineStar Command for drilling (MD6250, MD6310 surface drills), in use)
• Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills. (28m a shift; e.g. Epiroc SmartROC D65 MKII (autonomous surface drill rig), in use)
• Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites. (28m a shift; e.g. Kodiak Driver RoboTrucks operated by Atlas Energy Solutions, in use)

4h 22m of a typical shift, or 55%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes. (50m a shift)
• Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery. (39m a shift)
• Monitor drilling operations, by checking gauges and listening to equipment to assess drilling conditions and to determine the need to adjust drilling or alter equipment. (28m a shift)
• Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools. (22m a shift)
• Place and install screens, casings, pumps, and other well fixtures to develop wells. (17m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 94% use their hands on tools, objects or controls more than half the time
• 79% work outdoors in all weather every day
• 75% spend more than half the day on their feet

On Indeed, job postings in the Construction sector are at 129% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 6.4% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 1,400 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $60,190 a year ($28.94 an hour), 18% above the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $44,460 and $83,800 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 20,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 1,400 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 19,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.01% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 556th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 20,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a high school diploma: about 73% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 2 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: high school diploma, some training. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Equipment Selection, Equipment Maintenance
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 4h 22m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Word

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Continuous Mining Machine Operators (1h 44m touched, $62k median pay)
• Pile Driver Operators (0m touched, $73k median pay)
• Mining Roof Bolters (50m touched, $79k median pay)
• Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators (2h 31m touched, $70k median pay)
• Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners (1h 7m touched, $50k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 10 with robots in real deployments, 19 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.