Job Check
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Apply theory and principles of mechanical engineering to modify, develop, test, or adjust machinery and equipment under direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
10 main tasks · most important first
Your main tasks and AI
Importance- 01Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems.Mostly human for now
- 02Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 03Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel for approval.AI could speed this up a lot
- 04Review project instructions and blueprints to ascertain test specifications, procedures, and objectives, and test nature of technical problems such as redesign.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 05Provide technical support to other employees regarding mechanical design, fabrication, testing, or documentation.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 06Test machines, components, materials, or products to determine characteristics such as performance, strength, or response to stress.Mostly human for now
- 07Draft detail drawing or sketch for drafting room completion or to request parts fabrication by machine, sheet or wood shops.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 08Analyze test results in relation to design or rated specifications and test objectives, and modify or adjust equipment to meet specifications.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 09Record test procedures and results, numerical and graphical data, and recommendations for changes in product or test methods.People already use AI for this at work
- 10Prepare specifications, designs, or sketches for machines, components, or systems related to the generation, transmission, or use of mechanical or fluid energy.People already use AI for this at work
Tasks from O*NET® 31.0 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0, changed by us), most important first. “Already use” comes from Anthropic’s data on real work chats with Claude; “could speed up” from task ratings made with GPT-4 in 2023.
Four studies, side by side
None is a forecast of job loss7%of this job’s work time goes to tasks that people already do with Claude at work, counting tasks where AI only helps as half (2026).Anthropic, 2026
48%of this job’s tasks an AI model could do in half the time, counting tasks that need extra tools as half (rated in 2023).Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, 2023
Above 74% of jobsin how often and how well AI helped with this job’s work in Microsoft Copilot chats (2024 data).Microsoft Research (Tomlinson et al.), 2025
Above 59% of jobsin how much of this job’s physical work robots have been shown to do, from factories to homes (2026).Anthropic, 2026
Your human edge
The main tasks with no real AI use seen and no big speed-up expected. This is where your skill counts most today.
- Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems.
- Test machines, components, materials, or products to determine characteristics such as performance, strength, or response to stress.