Will AI replace Riggers?
AI can do 12% of the work Riggers 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 9 physical tasks. 4 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 · 12% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Signal or verbally direct workers engaged in hoisting and moving loads to ensure safety of workers and materials.12% of time
Robots can technically do this9 · 57% 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.
- Attach loads to rigging to provide support or prepare them for moving, using hand and power tools.Robots: purpose built settings14% of time
- Manipulate rigging lines, hoists, and pulling gear to move or support materials, such as heavy equipment, ships, or theatrical sets.Robots: purpose built settings11% of time
- Attach pulleys and blocks to fixed overhead structures, such as beams, ceilings, and gin pole booms, using bolts and clamps.Robots: purpose built settings8% of time
- Control movement of heavy equipment through narrow openings or confined spaces, using chainfalls, gin poles, gallows frames, and other equipment.Robots: purpose built settings6% of time
- Align, level, and anchor machinery.Robots: purpose built settings6% of time
- Tilt, dip, and turn suspended loads to maneuver over, under, or around obstacles, using multi-point suspension techniques.Robots: purpose built settings5% of time
- Load machines onto trucks to prepare for transportation.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
- Clean and dress machine surfaces and component parts.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
- Install ground rigging for yarding lines, attaching chokers to logs and to the lines.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
Still needs a person4 · 30% 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.
- Dismantle and store rigging equipment after use.9% of time
- Select gear, such as cables, pulleys, and winches, according to load weights and sizes, facilities, and work schedules.8% of time
- Fabricate, set up, and repair rigging, supporting structures, hoists, and pulling gear, using hand and power tools.8% of time
- Test rigging to ensure safety and reliability.6% 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.
What this means
Little of this work suits AI. The bigger change here is robots: today's robots can technically do 57% 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 9 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
- Build on the 4 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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