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needsahuman.

Will AI replace extraction workers?

12 jobs scored. On average 96% of the task time in these jobs still needs a person, and the family averages 86 out of 100 on Still needs a human, where higher is safer.

86
Average Still needs a human score, 0 to 100 ↑ safer. Will AI replace them? Nah.
12
Jobs scored in this family
96%
Average share of that still needs a person
202k
US workers in these jobs

How the work could shift in Extraction Workers

The share of US workers in these jobs whose job would sit in each band, from today to 2060.

Today
100%
of US workers in this family are in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
0% are in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2045
41%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
10% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2060
41%
of US workers in this family would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
51% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)

Each job's score moves towards the bottom band (Largely: AI could largely do the job) by the year it could be largely automated, slowly at first and faster later, as adoption usually goes. Each job is run as ten scenarios across its replacement range, so every figure mixes early and late outcomes. The model stops at 2060. How the timeline works

Share of US workers in this family in each verdict band, today to 20600%25%50%75%100%2026: 100.0% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)100%Today2030: 83.7% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)84%2030: 16.3% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)16%20302035: 40.5% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)41%2035: 53.3% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)53%2035: 6.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)6%20352040: 40.5% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)41%2040: 18.9% of US workers in this family in jobs where AI could do a little of the work (A little.)19%2040: 28.5% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)29%2040: 12.1% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)12%20402045: 40.5% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)41%2045: 27.2% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)27%2045: 22.3% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)22%2045: 10.0% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)10%20452050: 40.5% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)41%2050: 8.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could partly do (Partly.)9%2050: 26.4% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)26%2050: 24.5% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)25%20502055: 40.5% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)41%2055: 22.6% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)23%2055: 36.9% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)37%20552060: 40.5% of US workers in this family in jobs that mostly need a person (Nah.)41%2060: 8.7% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could mostly do (Mostly.)9%2060: 50.9% of US workers in this family in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)51%2060
Will AI replace the job?Largely.Mostly.Partly.A little.Nah.
Share of US workers in this family whose job would sit in each band, year by year. Updated with every release.
Show the data
YearLargelyMostlyPartlyA littleNah
Today (2026)0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%
20300.0%0.0%0.0%16.3%83.7%
20350.0%0.0%6.2%53.3%40.5%
20400.0%12.1%28.5%18.9%40.5%
204510.0%22.3%27.2%0.0%40.5%
205024.5%26.4%8.7%0.0%40.5%
205536.9%22.6%0.0%0.0%40.5%
206050.9%8.7%0.0%0.0%40.5%

Every job in Extraction Workers, ranked

How to read a row: the number is the Still needs a human score, out of 100, higher is safer; “AI replace?” is our answer to “Will AI replace this job?”; the bar is the task split: white AI does it, grey AI helps, amber needs a human.

Service Unit Operators, Oil and GasConstruction and Extraction · 47-5013
82↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 13%Needs a human 87%
20582048–2060+
43k
$58,160
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and GasConstruction and Extraction · 47-5012
85↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 7%Needs a human 93%
20592048–2060+
13k
$67,890
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and GasConstruction and Extraction · 47-5023
85↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 9%Needs a human 91%
20592048–2060+
19k
$60,190
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and BlastersConstruction and Extraction · 47-5032
85↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 9%Needs a human 91%
20602048–2060+
5k
$61,390
Derrick Operators, Oil and GasConstruction and Extraction · 47-5011
86↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 7%Needs a human 93%
20602048–2060+
11k
$58,620
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningConstruction and Extraction · 47-5022
86↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 0%Needs a human 100%
20602048–2060+
34k
$57,430
Continuous Mining Machine OperatorsConstruction and Extraction · 47-5041
87↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 0%Needs a human 100%
2048–2060+
14k
$61,810
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground MiningConstruction and Extraction · 47-5044
87↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 3%Needs a human 97%
2048–2060+
6k
$74,500
Helpers–Extraction WorkersConstruction and Extraction · 47-5081
87↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 0%Needs a human 100%
2048–2060+
7k
$47,730
Roof Bolters, MiningConstruction and Extraction · 47-5043
88↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 0%Needs a human 100%
2048–2060+
2k
$78,540
Rock Splitters, QuarryConstruction and Extraction · 47-5051
88↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 0%Needs a human 100%
2048–2060+
3k
$48,740
Roustabouts, Oil and GasConstruction and Extraction · 47-5071
88↑ saferAI replace? Nah.
AI does 0%AI helps 0%Needs a human 100%
2048–2060+
45k
$46,960