Will electrician helpers be replaced by AI?
Updated
Electrician helpers score 10 of 100 for AI exposure. 98% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do the other 2% today.
- 2% AI can do it
- 98% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 97% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 25 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 1 of them today, speeds up 0 and leaves 24 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Requisition materials, using warehouse requisition or release forms. Requisition forms are routine digital paperwork AI can fill. | 65% AI can do it |
| Maintain tools, vehicles, and equipment and keep parts and supplies in order. Mostly physical upkeep, though parts logs could be software tracked. | 18% Needs a person |
| Trace out short circuits in wiring, using test meter. Physical circuit tracing with a meter needs hands and site presence. | 12% Needs a person |
| Construct controllers and panels, using power drills, drill presses, taps, saws, and punches. Panel construction with power tools is physical, layout reading minimal. | 10% Needs a person |
| Perform semi-skilled and unskilled laboring duties related to the installation, maintenance and repair of a wide variety of electrical systems and equipment. Generic physical laboring on site, little information work. | 8% Needs a person |
| Disassemble defective electrical equipment, replace defective or worn parts, and reassemble equipment, using hand tools. Disassembling and replacing parts with hand tools is physical. | 8% Needs a person |
| Examine electrical units for loose connections and broken insulation and tighten connections, using hand tools. Physical inspection and tightening of units on site. | 6% Needs a person |
| Paint a variety of objects related to electrical functions. Painting objects is physical work with little AI help. | 6% Needs a person |
| Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire stripping pliers, and attach wires to terminals for subsequent soldering. Hands-on wire stripping and terminal attachment at the bench. | 5% Needs a person |
| Measure, cut, and bend wire and conduit, using measuring instruments and hand tools. Cutting and bending conduit is physical hand work. | 5% Needs a person |
Show the other 15 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Drill holes and pull or push wiring through openings, using hand and power tools. Drilling and pulling wire through openings is physical work. | 5% Needs a person |
| Thread conduit ends, connect couplings, and fabricate and secure conduit support brackets, using hand tools. Threading and fitting conduit manually is physical. | 5% Needs a person |
| Raise, lower, or position equipment, tools, and materials, using hoist, hand line, or block and tackle. Rigging and positioning loads with hoists needs physical safety judgement. | 5% Needs a person |
| Erect electrical system components and barricades, and rig scaffolds, hoists, and shoring. Erecting barricades and rigging scaffolds is safety-critical physical work. | 5% Needs a person |
| Clean work area and wash parts. Cleaning and washing parts is manual physical labor. | 4% Needs a person |
| String transmission lines or cables through ducts or conduits, under the ground, through equipment, or to towers. Stringing cable through ducts and towers needs physical presence. | 4% Needs a person |
| Bolt component parts together to form tower assemblies, using hand tools. Bolting tower sections together is physical assembly work. | 4% Needs a person |
| Solder electrical connections, using soldering iron. Soldering connections with an iron is hands-on skilled work. | 4% Needs a person |
| Transport tools, materials, equipment, and supplies to work site by hand, handtruck, or heavy, motorized truck. Carrying and hauling materials to site is physical labor. | 3% Needs a person |
| Install copper-clad ground rods, using a manual post driver. Driving ground rods with a post driver is physical outdoor work. | 3% Needs a person |
| Dig trenches or holes for installation of conduit or supports. Digging trenches and holes is heavy physical labor. | 3% Needs a person |
| Trim trees and clear undergrowth along right-of-way. Outdoor tree trimming and clearing requires physical labor. | 3% Needs a person |
| Operate heavy equipment, such as backhoes. Operating backhoes is physical machine operation on site. | 3% Needs a person |
| Operate cutting torches and welding equipment, while working with conduit and metal components to construct devices associated with electrical functions. Running torches and welding equipment is hands-on and hazardous. | 3% Needs a person |
| Break up concrete, using airhammer, to facilitate installation, construction, or repair of equipment. Operating an airhammer on concrete is purely physical. | 2% Needs a person |
How electrician helpers compare
All occupations (923)
Construction and extraction (61)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $42,670 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 63,630 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +0.6% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Keep parts and supply logs in recordkeeping software
- Track material shortages in Microsoft Excel
- Read panel layouts in computer-aided drafting software
- Trace short circuits with a test meter on site
- Complete an electrician apprenticeship toward a state license
Safer roles nearby
2 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about electrician helpers and AI
Will AI replace electrician helpers?
Unlikely. About 1 in 10 working hours of an electrician helper's day go to tasks AI can already do, mostly requisition forms and parts logs. Hauling materials, digging trenches, and wiring work on site stay with people because they need a body on the job.
Which tasks is AI taking over for electrician helpers?
Requisitioning materials is the main one, with an exposure score of 65, because requisition forms are routine digital paperwork that AI can fill. Keeping parts and supply logs for tools and equipment comes next at 18, since software can track stock counts.
Which electrician helper tasks stay human?
Tracing short circuits with a test meter scores 12, because the work needs hands on live wiring at the site. Digging trenches, trimming trees, and operating backhoes score 3, since heavy physical labor on site is the core of the task.
How do electrician helpers stay valuable as AI spreads?
Take on the parts and supply logs in recordkeeping software so shortages get caught before the crew stalls. Learn to read panel drawings in computer-aided drafting software, and log hours toward a state electrician apprenticeship, since hands-on wiring skill keeps the job in demand.
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