Will maintenance mechanics be replaced by AI?
Updated
Maintenance mechanics score 20 of 100 for AI exposure. 82% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do 12% today and speed up another 6%.
- 12% AI can do it
- 6% AI helps
- 82% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 79% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 18 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 2 of them today, speeds up 1 and leaves 15 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Record production, repair, and machine maintenance information. AI can draft and structure maintenance logs from notes. | 70% AI can do it |
| Inventory and requisition machine parts, equipment, and other supplies so that stock can be maintained and replenished. Inventory counts and requisitions are digital and largely automatable. | 62% AI can do it |
| Read work orders and specifications to determine machines and equipment requiring repair or maintenance. AI can parse work orders and flag machines needing repair. | 55% AI helps |
| Inspect or test damaged machine parts, and mark defective areas or advise supervisors of repair needs. Physical inspection and touch testing of parts needs a person. | 18% Needs a person |
| Start machines and observe mechanical operation to determine efficiency and to detect problems. Watching machines run and sensing faults needs physical presence. | 15% Needs a person |
| Measure, mix, prepare, and test chemical solutions used to clean or repair machinery and equipment. AI aids mix ratios; measuring and mixing stay manual. | 15% Needs a person |
| Lubricate or apply adhesives or other materials to machines, machine parts, or other equipment according to specified procedures. Applying lubricants and adhesives on machines is physical work. | 10% Needs a person |
| Set up and operate machines, and adjust controls to regulate operations. Operating machines and adjusting controls is mostly hands on. | 10% Needs a person |
| Reassemble machines after the completion of repair or maintenance work. Physical reassembly and fit checks need hands on work. | 8% Needs a person |
| Install, replace, or change machine parts and attachments, according to production specifications. Swapping machine parts requires physical handling and fitting skill. | 8% Needs a person |
Show the other 8 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Dismantle machines and remove parts for repair, using hand tools, chain falls, jacks, cranes, or hoists. Physical disassembly with hoists and hand tools needs a person. | 5% Needs a person |
| Collect and discard worn machine parts and other refuse to maintain machinery and work areas. Hauling worn parts and refuse is manual labor. | 5% Needs a person |
| Replace or repair metal, wood, leather, glass, or other lining in machines, or in equipment compartments or containers. Relining machines and compartments needs craft skill and hands. | 5% Needs a person |
| Collaborate with other workers to repair or move machines, machine parts, or equipment. Teamwork moving heavy equipment with crews is physical. | 4% Needs a person |
| Clean machines and machine parts, using cleaning solvents, cloths, air guns, hoses, vacuums, or other equipment. Cleaning with solvents and air guns is hands on physical work. | 4% Needs a person |
| Transport machine parts, tools, equipment, and other material between work areas and storage, using cranes, hoists, or dollies. Moving heavy parts with cranes and dollies is physical work. | 3% Needs a person |
| Remove hardened material from machines or machine parts, using abrasives, power and hand tools, jackhammers, sledgehammers, or other equipment. Chipping hardened material with jackhammers is physical labor. | 3% Needs a person |
| Replace, empty, or replenish machine and equipment containers such as gas tanks or boxes. Replacing gas tanks and containers is manual handling work. | 3% Needs a person |
How maintenance mechanics compare
All occupations (923)
Installation, maintenance and repair (50)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $60,850 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 60,020 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- -1.9% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Log machine repairs and downtime in CMMS software
- Dismantle machines with hoists, chain falls, and hand tools
- Inspect worn parts by touch and mark defects for supervisors
- Schedule preventive maintenance in scheduling software
- Mix and test cleaning chemicals to manufacturer ratios
- Start machines and listen for faults during test runs
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about maintenance mechanics and AI
Will AI replace maintenance mechanics?
Partly. About 2 in 10 working hours for a maintenance mechanic go to tasks AI can already do, mostly recording maintenance information and tracking machine parts. Hands-on repair, dismantling, inspection, and machine testing stay with people because they need physical presence at the machine.
Which maintenance mechanic tasks is AI taking over?
Recording production, repair, and machine maintenance information scores 70 on exposure, the highest in this job, because AI can draft and structure logs from notes. Inventorying and requisitioning parts scores 62, since counts and requisitions are already digital. Reading work orders to find machines needing repair scores 55, and AI can flag those machines.
Which maintenance mechanic tasks stay human?
Transporting parts, removing hardened material, and replacing machine containers all score 3 on exposure, the lowest in this job. Moving heavy parts with cranes and dollies, chipping hardened material with jackhammers, and dismantling machines with hoists need physical work a person does on site.
How can maintenance mechanics stay valuable?
Check AI-drafted entries in your CMMS software before they close a work order. Build skill in dismantling machines with hoists, chain falls, and jacks, since that work needs a person on site. Use Excel and SAP to track parts stock so you catch shortages before a requisition is missed.
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