# Will toolmakers be replaced by AI? Updated October 2026 Toolmakers score 29 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 60%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. The other 40% stays with people. - **60%** AI helps - **40%** Needs a person Low exposure Lower than 64% of the 923 occupations we scored. ## Task by task We graded 17 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can't do any of them end to end yet. It speeds up 10 and leaves 7 to people. | Task | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Develop and design new tools and dies, using computer-aided design software. CAD copilots and generative design tools speed up tool and die design. | 70% AI helps | | Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance. AI can compare alloy properties and recommend metals from specifications. | 60% AI helps | | Design jigs, fixtures, and templates for use as work aids in the fabrication of parts or products. AI can generate jig and fixture designs from requirements and CAD. | 60% AI helps | | Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies. AI can draft machining sequences from prints; machinist reviews and decides. | 55% AI helps | | Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications. AI can compute tolerance stackups and dimensions from specs quickly. | 50% AI helps | ## How toolmakers compare All occupations (923) Production (107) **Toolmakers score 29**, 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 22 for production. ## Pay and outlook in the US Median pay $64,050 a year, May 2025 People employed 56,930 in the US, May 2025 Projected change in jobs \-9.2% from 2024 to 2034 ## Skills to build - Set up and run CNC lathes and milling machines - Hand scrape and fit dies to tight clearances - Model and check designs in SolidWorks or AutoCAD - Verify tolerances with micrometers, dial indicators, and gauge blocks - Review machining sequences drafted from prints ## Safer roles nearby 5 related occupations with lower scores. - [Tool grinders17 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/tool-grinders/) - [Model makers22 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/model-makers/) - [Hand polishers17 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/hand-polishers/) - [Forging machine operators16 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/forging-machine-operators/) - [Press operators18 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/press-operators/) ## Questions about toolmakers and AI Will AI replace toolmakers? Partly. About 3 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly CAD tool design and jig and fixture design. Hands-on work stays with toolmakers, since fitting, filing, and machine setup need a person at the bench and the machine. Which tasks is AI taking over in toolmaking? Designing new tools and dies in CAD scores 70, the highest exposure in this job, because CAD copilots and generative design tools speed up drafting. Selecting metals scores 60, since AI can compare alloy hardness and heat tolerance from a spec. Jig and fixture design also scores 60, as AI can generate layouts from requirements. Which toolmaker tasks stay with people? Hand scraping and polishing scores 8, the lowest in this job, because the work is manual and tactile. Filing, grinding, and shimming score 10 since parts must be fitted by touch. Machine setup and operation scores 15, because a lathe or grinder needs a person at the workpiece. How can toolmakers stay valuable as AI spreads? Stay on the bench and the machine, and check AI output with physical gauges. Setting up CNC lathes and mills, fitting dies manually, and scraping surfaces are hard to automate. Use SolidWorks or AutoCAD to check AI-generated designs for clearance and fit. Verify AI tolerance stackups with micrometers, dial indicators, and gauge blocks before parts go out. ## Related jobs - [Machine tool operators24 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/machine-tool-operators/) - [Woodworking machine operators16 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/woodworking-machine-operators/) - [Grinding machine operators21 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/grinding-machine-operators/) - [Machinists28 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/machinists/) ## Next steps for toolmakers - ### 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.