Job Check
Tool and Die Makers
Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.
10 main tasks · most important first
Your main tasks and AI
Importance- 01Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.Mostly human for now
- 02Set up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bore, grind, or otherwise shape parts to prescribed dimensions and finishes.AI could speed this up a lot
- 03Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 04Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 05Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.Mostly human for now
- 06Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 07Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance.Mostly human for now
- 08Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates.Mostly human for now
- 09File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together.Mostly human for now
- 10Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders.Mostly human for now
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 lossToo little dataNot enough work use was seen to measure. This does not mean the job is safe from AI.Anthropic, 2026
19%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 25% 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 69% 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.
- Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators.
- Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders.
- Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance.