# Will maintenance helpers be replaced by AI? Updated October 2026 Maintenance helpers score 16 of 100 for AI exposure. 74% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do 6% today and speed up another 20%. - **6%** AI can do it - **20%** AI helps - **74%** Needs a person Low exposure Lower than 87% of the 923 occupations we scored. ## Task by task We graded 16 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 1 of them today, speeds up 3 and leaves 12 to people. | Task | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Order new parts to maintain inventory. Inventory software and AI can track stock and draft orders. | 72% AI can do it | | Examine and test machinery, equipment, components, and parts for defects to ensure proper functioning. AI reads test data and specs; physical inspection stays human. | 35% AI helps | | Tend and observe equipment and machinery to verify efficient and safe operation. Monitoring software flags issues; a person still watches equipment. | 30% AI helps | | Design, weld, and fabricate parts, using blueprints or other mechanical plans. AI helps with CAD and CNC programs; welding stays physical. | 25% AI helps | | Diagnose electrical problems and install and rewire electrical components. AI can help troubleshoot, but rewiring is physical work. | 15% Needs a person | ## How maintenance helpers compare All occupations (923) Installation, maintenance and repair (50) **Maintenance helpers score 16**, marked by the dark line. Each dot is a score, darker where more occupations share it. The short marks show the averages, 37 for all occupations and 21 for installation, maintenance and repair. ## Pay and outlook in the US Median pay $39,630 a year, May 2025 People employed 95,580 in the US, May 2025 Projected change in jobs +5.3% from 2024 to 2034 ## Skills to build - Track stock and draft parts orders in SAP software - Log equipment test results with data logging software - Install and replace parts with hand and power tools - Diagnose electrical faults and rewire components on site - Keep work station records in Microsoft Excel and Word - Run building automation software to monitor equipment ## Safer roles nearby 5 related occupations with lower scores. - [Plumber helpers10 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/plumber-helpers/) - [Electrician helpers10 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/electrician-helpers/) - [Mining helpers11 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/mining-helpers/) - [Carpenter helpers8 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/carpenter-helpers/) - [Painter helpers9 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/painter-helpers/) ## Questions about maintenance helpers and AI Will AI replace maintenance helpers? Partly. About 2 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly ordering new parts and examining machinery for defects. Hands-on work stays with people, including handing tools to mechanics, moving parts, cleaning equipment, and installing replacements with hand and power tools. Which maintenance helper tasks is AI taking over? Ordering new parts to keep inventory has the highest exposure score at 72, because inventory software and AI can track stock and draft orders. Examining machinery for defects follows at 35, since AI can read test data and specs while a person still does the physical inspection. Which maintenance helper tasks stay human? Holding and supplying tools, positioning heavy objects, and cleaning equipment carry the lowest exposure scores, between 4 and 5. Handing tools to coworkers and carrying parts between stations need a person in the room, so these tasks stay with people. How can maintenance helpers stay valuable in their work? Learn the parts ordering and stock tracking in SAP software, since that is the task most exposed to AI. Build skill in physical work such as installing parts with power tools and supplying equipment to mechanics. Check every AI-drafted order and test log against the equipment itself before you sign off. ## Related jobs - [Production helpers19 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/production-helpers/) - [Maintenance mechanics20 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/maintenance-mechanics/) - [Maintenance workers21 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/maintenance-workers/) - [Industrial machinery mechanics31 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industrial-machinery-mechanics/) ## Next steps for maintenance helpers - ### Check your job Your job title is a rough guide. Your actual tasks decide your score. Paste your job description or CV and see which of your tasks AI can do. [Check your job](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/ai-exposure-checker/) [Check your CV](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/cv-checker/) ### Check which roles in your team AI can take on We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first. [Book an AI audit](https://www.aigentcy.com/audit/) ## Related topics - [**Jobs AI can't replace**Cement masons score lowest, at 8.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-cant-replace/) - [**Jobs most at risk from AI**Proofreaders score highest, at 76.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-most-exposed-to-ai/) - [**High-paying jobs with low AI exposure**Radiologists earn a median $420,860 and score 46.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/high-paying-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Entry-level jobs with low AI exposure**Cement masons need little prior training and score 8.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/entry-level-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Jobs AI speeds up the most**For natural sciences managers, AI speeds up 96% of task time.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-speeds-up/) - [**AI and jobs in Malta**15 iGaming roles graded task by task.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/malta/) - [**Skills that keep work human**The skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/skills/) - [**Jobs A to Z**Every job we publish, by first letter.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs/) - [**AI exposure by industry**Average scores for 22 occupation groups.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industries/) - [**Write a CV screening software can read**How applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/cv-screening-guide/) - [**AI for businesses**The tasks to automate first in each team and industry.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/) - [**How we score AI exposure**The grading, the weights and every source.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/) Occupation data from the O\*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and modified by Aigentcy. O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Wage, employment and projection data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. EU occupation names from ESCO, European Commission. AI usage signals from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY) and Microsoft Research (CC BY 4.0). [Methodology and sources](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/). Scores © Aigentcy. Quote them with a link to the page.