Will AI replace Locksmiths and Safe Repairers?

AI can do 4% of the work Locksmiths and Safe Repairers do at least twice as fast. Real use has not caught up: none of their tasks show up in real AI use yet, but AI could speed up 1 of them. Robots can technically handle 6 physical tasks. 7 still need a person.

AI is already doing this0 · 0% of time

People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.

  • Real AI use has not reached any of this job's tasks yet.

AI could do this next1 · 4% of time

AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.

  • Keep records of company locks and keys.4% of time

Robots can technically do this6 · 49% of time

Physical tasks that today's robots can perform in at least some settings. Robots are cost competitive for very few tasks so far, so this change moves slower.

  • Install door hardware, such as locks and closers.Robots: purpose built settings16% of time
  • Cut new or duplicate keys, using key cutting machines.Robots: purpose built settings12% of time
  • Insert new or repaired tumblers into locks to change combinations.Robots: purpose built settings12% of time
  • Install safes, vault doors, and deposit boxes according to blueprints, using equipment such as power drills, taps, dies, truck cranes, and dollies.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
  • Cut new or duplicate keys, using impressions or code key machines.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
  • Remove interior and exterior finishes on safes and vaults, and spray on new finishes.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time

Still needs a person7 · 46% of time

No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.

  • Disassemble mechanical or electrical locking devices, and repair or replace worn tumblers, springs, and other parts, using hand tools.13% of time
  • Install alarm and electronic access systems.7% of time
  • Unlock cars and other vehicles.7% of time
  • Move picklocks in cylinders to open door locks without keys.6% of time
  • Set up and maintain master key systems.6% of time
  • Repair and adjust safes, vault doors, and vault components, using hand tools, lathes, drill presses, and welding and acetylene cutting apparatus.4% of time
  • Open safe locks by drilling.3% of time

Your week is not the average

Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.

Get my personal report

What this means

Little of this work suits AI. The bigger change here is robots: today's robots can technically do 49% of the working time, though they are rarely cheap enough to replace people yet.

What to do next

  • Get ahead on the 1 task AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
  • Keep an eye on the 6 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
  • Build on the 7 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers11%Commercial Divers18%Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers11%Riggers12%Signal and Track Switch Repairers7%Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers0%

Get the weekly brief

One short email a week on how AI is changing work, including jobs like this one.

Check another job