Will locksmiths be replaced by AI?
Updated
Locksmiths score 15 out of 100 for AI exposure. 85% of their task time needs a person. AI can do 7% and helps with 8%.
- 7% AI can do it
- 8% AI helps
- 85% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 89% of the 923 jobs we scored.
Task by task
We graded 14 tasks, most exposed first. AI can do 1 of them, helps with 1 and leaves 12 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Keep records of company locks and keys. Lock and key inventory records are routine digital data entry. | 70% AI can do it |
| Set up and maintain master key systems. AI can help plan key hierarchies and documentation; person leads. | 45% AI helps |
| Install alarm and electronic access systems. Physical installation; AI helps only with system configuration. | 18% Needs a person |
| Cut new or duplicate keys, using impressions or code key machines. Physical key cutting; AI only helps with code lookup. | 12% Needs a person |
| Cut new or duplicate keys, using key cutting machines. Operating key cutting machines is hands-on physical work. | 8% Needs a person |
| Install door hardware, such as locks and closers. Mounting locks and closers on doors is physical installation. | 8% Needs a person |
| Disassemble mechanical or electrical locking devices, and repair or replace worn tumblers, springs, and other parts, using hand tools. Disassembling and repairing mechanical parts requires hand tools. | 6% Needs a person |
| Insert new or repaired tumblers into locks to change combinations. Hands-on tumbler insertion in physical locks. | 5% Needs a person |
| Open safe locks by drilling. Drilling safes needs physical tools and on-site judgement. | 5% Needs a person |
| Remove interior and exterior finishes on safes and vaults, and spray on new finishes. Stripping and spraying safe finishes is physical surface work. | 5% Needs a person |
Show the other 4 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Repair and adjust safes, vault doors, and vault components, using hand tools, lathes, drill presses, and welding and acetylene cutting apparatus. Vault repair with lathes and welding is hands-on work. | 4% Needs a person |
| Install safes, vault doors, and deposit boxes according to blueprints, using equipment such as power drills, taps, dies, truck cranes, and dollies. Moving and installing heavy safes with cranes and drills. | 4% Needs a person |
| Move picklocks in cylinders to open door locks without keys. Manual picking requires tactile skill on physical cylinders. | 3% Needs a person |
| Unlock cars and other vehicles. Opening vehicles on site requires physical hands-on skill. | 3% Needs a person |
How locksmiths compare
All jobs (923)
Installation, maintenance and repair (50)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $51,320 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 15,040 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- -11.7% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Install alarm and electronic access systems on site
- Cut keys on code key machines and key cutting machines
- Drill and open safe locks on site
- Lead master key system design and keying documentation
- Install safes and vault doors from blueprints with truck cranes
- Schedule and route service calls in Scheduling software
Safer roles nearby
5 related jobs with lower scores.
Questions about locksmiths and AI
Will AI replace locksmiths?
Partly. About 1 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly keeping company lock and key records and setting up master key systems. Cutting keys, installing hardware and opening locks on site stay with people because they need a person's hands on the work.
Which locksmith tasks is AI taking over?
AI is taking over record keeping for company locks and keys, the most exposed task with an exposure score of 70. The work is routine digital data entry that software handles well. Master key system planning follows with an exposure score of 45, where AI drafts key hierarchies and documentation while a locksmith leads the decisions.
Which locksmith tasks stay human?
Picking locks in cylinders, opening vehicles on site and drilling safes stay with people. Their exposure scores are 3, 3 and 5, the lowest in the job. Each needs hands-on skill on a physical lock, car or safe, and drilling depends on judgement made on site.
How can locksmiths stay valuable?
Shift your time toward installation, safe work and key cutting, which score lowest for exposure. Take on alarm and electronic access system installs, an exposure score of 18, and safe installs with truck cranes and drills. Use Scheduling software and Mapping software to route jobs, and check AI-drafted key hierarchies before you sign off.
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Next steps for locksmiths
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