Will AI replace Millwrights?

AI can do 7% of the work Millwrights 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 2 of them. Robots can technically handle 15 physical tasks. 6 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 next2 · 7% of time

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

  • Troubleshoot equipment, electrical components, hydraulics, or other mechanical systems.6% of time
  • Install robot and modify its program, using teach pendant.1% of time

Robots can technically do this15 · 60% 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.

  • Assemble and install equipment, using hand tools and power tools.Robots: purpose built settings9% of time
  • Align machines or equipment, using hoists, jacks, hand tools, squares, rules, micrometers, lasers, or plumb bobs.Robots: purpose built settings9% of time
  • Move machinery and equipment, using hoists, dollies, rollers, and trucks.Robots: purpose built settings6% of time
  • Assemble machines, and bolt, weld, rivet, or otherwise fasten them to foundation or other structures, using hand tools and power tools.Robots: purpose built settings6% of time
  • Weld, repair, and fabricate equipment or machinery.Robots: purpose built settings6% of time
  • Insert shims, adjust tension on nuts and bolts, or position parts, using hand tools and measuring instruments, to set specified clearances between moving and stationary parts.Robots: purpose built settings5% of time
  • Attach moving parts and subassemblies to basic assembly unit, using hand tools and power tools.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
  • Bolt parts, such as side and deck plates, jaw plates, and journals, to basic assembly unit.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
  • Connect power unit to machines or steam piping to equipment, and test unit to evaluate its mechanical operation.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
  • Signal crane operator to lower basic assembly units to bedplate, and align unit to centerline.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
  • Lay out mounting holes, using measuring instruments, and drill holes with power drill.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
  • Position steel beams to support bedplates of machines and equipment, using blueprints and schematic drawings to determine work procedures.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Shrink-fit bushings, sleeves, rings, liners, gears, and wheels to specified items, using portable gas heating equipment.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Construct foundation for machines, using hand tools and building materials such as wood, cement, and steel.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
  • Operate engine lathe to grind, file, and turn machine parts to dimensional specifications.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time

Still needs a person6 · 33% 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.

  • Replace defective parts of machine, or adjust clearances and alignment of moving parts.11% of time
  • Conduct preventative maintenance and repair, and lubricate machines and equipment.8% of time
  • Dismantle machines, using hammers, wrenches, crowbars, and other hand tools.7% of time
  • Level bedplate and establish centerline, using straightedge, levels, and transit.4% of time
  • Fabricate and dismantle parts, equipment, and machines, using a cutting torch or other cutting equipment.2% of time
  • Dismantle machinery and equipment for shipment to installation site, performing installation and maintenance work as part of team.1% of time

Your week is not the average

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What this means

Little of this work suits AI. The bigger change here is robots: today's robots can technically do 66% of the working time, though they are rarely cheap enough to replace people yet.

What to do next

  • Get ahead on the 2 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
  • Keep an eye on the 15 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
  • Build on the 6 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
Industrial Machinery Mechanics11%Maintenance Workers, Machinery10%Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons0%Signal and Track Switch Repairers7%Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers5%Locksmiths and Safe Repairers4%

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