Will plumber helpers be replaced by AI?
Updated
Plumber helpers score 10 of 100 for AI exposure. 92% of their task time still needs a person. AI speeds up the other 8%.
- 8% AI helps
- 92% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 97% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 15 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can't do any of them end to end yet. It speeds up 1 and leaves 14 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site. Selecting pipe size and listing materials can be AI-assisted; transport is physical. | 35% AI helps |
| Assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems. Assisting installation is mostly physical, with minor layout reading help. | 15% Needs a person |
| Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports. Cutting, threading and hanging pipe is physical hands-on work. | 10% Needs a person |
| Immerse pipe in chemical solution to remove dirt, oil, and scale. Immersing pipe in chemical baths is mostly physical handling. | 10% Needs a person |
| Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes. Fixture replacement and leak repair require physical presence and hands-on skill. | 8% Needs a person |
| Cut or drill holes in walls or floors to accommodate the passage of pipes. Drilling and cutting openings in walls and floors is physical. | 5% Needs a person |
| Cut pipe and lift up to fitters. Cutting and lifting pipe is physical labor on site. | 5% Needs a person |
| Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools. Fitting valves and couplings with hand tools is physical work. | 5% Needs a person |
| Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes. Mounting brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings is physical. | 5% Needs a person |
| Disassemble and remove damaged or worn pipe. Removing damaged pipe is hands-on physical disassembly. | 5% Needs a person |
Show the other 5 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Clean shop, work area, and machines, using solvent and rags. Cleaning machines and work areas with solvent and rags is physical. | 5% Needs a person |
| Install gas burners to convert furnaces from wood, coal, or oil. Installing gas burners needs hands-on work and gas safety judgement. | 5% Needs a person |
| Clean and renew steam traps. Cleaning and renewing steam traps is hands-on physical maintenance. | 5% Needs a person |
| Excavate and grade ditches, and lay and join pipe for water and sewer service. Excavating, grading and joining buried pipe is heavy physical work. | 4% Needs a person |
| Fill pipes with sand or resin to prevent distortion, and hold pipes during bending and installation. Filling and holding pipe during bending is physical handling. | 4% Needs a person |
How plumber helpers compare
All occupations (923)
Construction and extraction (61)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $42,360 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 44,330 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +2.4% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Build material takeoff lists in Microsoft Excel
- Write job notes and work orders in Microsoft Word
- Read piping layout drawings before selecting pipe size
- Hold the OSHA 10-Hour Construction card
- Cut, thread and hang pipe to fitter specifications
- Clean work areas and equipment after each shift
Safer roles nearby
4 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about plumber helpers and AI
Will AI replace plumber helpers?
Partly. About 1 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly requisitioning tools and equipment and selecting pipe type and size. Hauling pipe, cutting, threading and hanging it stay with people because they need hands on a job site.
Which plumber helper tasks can AI take over?
Requisitioning tools and equipment has the highest exposure score at 35, because choosing pipe size and listing materials are lookups that AI can run from a job spec. Assisting pipe fitters with layout reading scores 15, since AI can help read the drawing while the physical install stays with the crew.
Which plumber helper tasks stay human?
Cutting, threading and hanging pipe stay with people, with an exposure score of 10, because they are hands-on physical work. Cutting openings in walls and floors scores 5, and it needs a person with tools on site, so AI has little role there.
How can plumber helpers stay valuable?
Learn to read piping layout drawings so you can confirm pipe sizes before the fitter asks. Keep material lists in Microsoft Excel and job notes in Microsoft Word. Earn the OSHA 10-Hour Construction card, because the hauling, cutting and cleanup on site still need a trained person.
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