Are the skilled trades safe from AI? All 25 jobs below have no documented AI or robot time in a typical 8-hour shift, including electricians, automotive service technicians and mechanics and bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists. Ties are sorted by number of workers.
This list covers skilled trades jobs with at least 5,000 workers. "Touched" means time spent on tasks where AI use is documented in real usage data or where robots have done the task in a real workplace. Low numbers reflect today's evidence and can change as AI and robots improve. Each job links to its full time card, pay by state and similar jobs.
HumanWith AIAIRobot
- 1. ElectriciansNo AI or robot time · $63k · 757K workers
- 2. Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsNo AI or robot time · $51k · 705K workers
- 3. Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsNo AI or robot time · $62k · 290K workers
- 4. Mobile Heavy Equipment MechanicsNo AI or robot time · $66k · 177K workers
- 5. Automotive Body and Related RepairersNo AI or robot time · $55k · 149K workers
- 6. Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansNo AI or robot time · $80k · 138K workers
- 7. Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersNo AI or robot time · $74k · 98K workers
- 8. Medical Equipment RepairersNo AI or robot time · $62k · 66K workers
- 9. Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentNo AI or robot time · $74k · 65K workers
- 10. Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and WallNo AI or robot time · $49k · 44K workers
- 11. Helpers for Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersNo AI or robot time · $42k · 44K workers
- 12. MillwrightsNo AI or robot time · $66k · 40K workers
- 13. Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine MechanicsNo AI or robot time · $48k · 36K workers
- 14. Home Appliance RepairersNo AI or robot time · $51k · 32K workers
- 15. Weatherization Installers and TechniciansNo AI or robot time · $50k · 28K workers
- 16. Mechanical Door RepairersNo AI or robot time · $56k · 27K workers
- 17. Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and RepairersNo AI or robot time · $47k · 26K workers
- 18. Elevator and Escalator Installers and RepairersNo AI or robot time · $110k · 24K workers
- 19. Motorboat Mechanics and Service TechniciansNo AI or robot time · $58k · 23K workers
- 20. RiggersNo AI or robot time · $63k · 23K workers
- 21. Rail Car RepairersNo AI or robot time · $68k · 21K workers
- 22. Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and RelayNo AI or robot time · $103k · 21K workers
- 23. Automotive Glass Installers and RepairersNo AI or robot time · $48k · 20K workers
- 24. Audiovisual Equipment Installers and RepairersNo AI or robot time · $53k · 20K workers
- 25. Avionics TechniciansNo AI or robot time · $82k · 19K workers