Operate or tend machinery equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets, to excavate and load loose materials.
16 of 16 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Become familiar with digging plans, machine capabilities and limitations, and with efficient and safe digging procedures in a given application.
AI: Fully automatable - AI systems can ingest plans, equipment specs, and safety procedures and generate comprehensive, actionable familiarity and recommendations for efficient and safe digging.
Receive written or oral instructions regarding material movement or excavation.
AI: Fully automatable - AI systems can reliably parse written or spoken instructions and translate them into task plans or machine commands.
Move materials over short distances, such as around a construction site, factory, or warehouse.
AI: Fully automatable - Autonomous loaders, teleoperated equipment, and robotic haulers can move materials short distances around sites with current technology.
Measure and verify levels of rock or gravel, bases, or other excavated material.
AI: Fully automatable - Drones, LiDAR, and machine-mounted sensors combined with software can measure and verify levels of rock, gravel, and excavated bases automatically.
Create or maintain inclines or ramps.
AI: Fully automatable - GPS/laser-guided autonomous dozers and graders can create and maintain inclines and ramps to specified elevations and slopes.
Move levers, depress foot pedals, and turn dials to operate power machinery, such as power shovels, stripping shovels, scraper loaders, or backhoes.
AI: Partial - Robotic and autonomous excavators exist and can perform many controls, yet full autonomy across all contexts and unexpected ground conditions is not universally reliable in 2025.
Set up or inspect equipment prior to operation.
AI: Partial - Pre‑operation setup and inspection can be largely aided by sensors and computer vision, but some hands‑on checks and judgments still require humans.
Observe hand signals, grade stakes, or other markings when operating machines so that work can be performed to specifications.
AI: Partial - Computer vision can recognize hand signals and markings in many conditions, but variability, occlusion, and safety-critical requirements mean human supervision is still commonly required.
Operate machinery to perform activities such as backfilling excavations, vibrating or breaking rock or concrete, or making winter roads.
AI: Partial - GPS/AI-controlled excavators and graders can perform routine backfilling and road-making, but complex rock breaking and highly variable site conditions still require human operators and oversight.
Direct workers engaged in placing blocks or outriggers to prevent capsizing of machines when lifting heavy loads.
AI: Partial - Directing workers for outrigger/block placement is safety-critical and context-dependent, so AI can support but not fully replace human supervisors.
Lubricate, adjust, or repair machinery and replace parts, such as gears, bearings, or bucket teeth.
AI: Partial - AI-assisted diagnostics and guidance exist, but physical lubrication, adjustment, and replacement of parts still require dexterous manual work and human troubleshooting.
Direct ground workers engaged in activities such as moving stakes or markers, or changing positions of towers.
AI: Partial - Coordinating ground workers to move stakes or towers is situational and safety-sensitive; AI can assist with instructions but cannot fully assume responsibility.
Adjust dig face angles for varying overburden depths and set lengths.
AI: Partial - Some constrained mining applications automate dig-face adjustments, but varying overburden depths and set-length decisions typically still need human judgment and oversight.
Handle slides, mud, or pit cleanings or maintenance.
AI: Partial - Handling slides, mud, and pit cleanup is hazardous and highly variable; remote-controlled equipment can assist but full autonomy is limited.
Drive machines to work sites.
AI: Partial - As of 2025 autonomous hauling and teleoperation exist in controlled mining sites but full, general-purpose autonomous driving of excavators/draglines to arbitrary worksites is only partially solved.
Perform manual labor to prepare or finish sites, such as shoveling materials by hand.
AI: Partial - Robotic systems can assist or automate some repetitive clearing tasks, but diverse, unstructured manual shoveling across variable sites remains only partially automatable in 2025.