Will AI replace Helpers--Electricians?
Most of the work in Helpers--Electricians still leans on things AI struggles with — research rates its theoretical AI reach at only ~2%, and real-world use lower still.
O*NET-SOC 47-3013
How your 17 core tasks split
Top = what GPT-4 judged AI could speed up. Bottom = how much AI was actually used for these tasks (Anthropic's March 2026 report, usage from Aug & Nov 2025). The gap is the real story.
Back in 2023, GPT-4 judged AI could, in theory, assist with a relatively low share of this job's tasks (~2%). By late 2025, real-world AI use had reached about 0% of its task activity (still rare). The gap between that 2023 forecast and today is the real story.
Where this job sits among 738 jobs
Each dot is one of 738 U.S. jobs. Right = AI can do more of it. Up = AI is actually used more.
The signals here line up
Theoretical reach (~2%), real-world use (~0%) and the task-level picture mostly agree — so this read is more reliable than for jobs where the signals contradict each other. Even so, AI-risk estimates shift by model (a 2026 study saw the "high-risk" share swing 2.7%–51.5%), so treat these as directional, not destiny.
See all 17 tasks, ratedBased on real task-level AI scores — click to collapse
- None — AI cannot fully do any core task alone yet.
- No tasks in this middle tier.
- Measure, cut, and bend wire and conduit, using measuring instruments and hand tools.
- Trace out short circuits in wiring, using test meter.
- Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire stripping pliers, and attach wires to terminals for subsequent soldering.
- Examine electrical units for loose connections and broken insulation and tighten connections, using hand tools.
- Construct controllers and panels, using power drills, drill presses, taps, saws, and punches.
- Drill holes and pull or push wiring through openings, using hand and power tools.
- Clean work area and wash parts.
- Maintain tools, vehicles, and equipment and keep parts and supplies in order.
- Transport tools, materials, equipment, and supplies to work site by hand, handtruck, or heavy, motorized truck.
- Install copper-clad ground rods, using a manual post driver.
- Thread conduit ends, connect couplings, and fabricate and secure conduit support brackets, using hand tools.
- Disassemble defective electrical equipment, replace defective or worn parts, and reassemble equipment, using hand tools.
- Erect electrical system components and barricades, and rig scaffolds, hoists, and shoring.
- Perform semi-skilled and unskilled laboring duties related to the installation, maintenance and repair of a wide variety of electrical systems and equipment.
- Dig trenches or holes for installation of conduit or supports.
- Raise, lower, or position equipment, tools, and materials, using hoist, hand line, or block and tackle.
- Break up concrete, using airhammer, to facilitate installation, construction, or repair of equipment.
How we measured this — and how fresh it is
AI's theoretical reach data: 2023
From GPTs-are-GPTs (Eloundou et al.), where GPT-4 rated how much of each task an AI tool could meaningfully speed up. This is the most recent open, commercially-usable occupation-level potential dataset — it dates to 2023. Newer multi-model re-runs exist but swing wildly (one 2026 study saw "high-risk" jobs range 2.7%–51.5% by model) and aren't openly licensed, so we show the stable 2023 baseline and pair it with newer real-world data.
Real-world AI use 2026 report
From the Anthropic Economic Index, which observes how real Claude conversations map onto each occupation's tasks. Published in Anthropic's March 2026 labor-market report, based on usage measured in Aug & Nov 2025 (Sonnet 4 / 4.5).
Task list & ratings O*NET 30.3
Tasks come from O*NET 30.3. Each task's "AI can do / speeds up / still on you" tier uses the real task-level exposure scores from GPTs-are-GPTs (E1 / E2 / E0) — not a guess from keywords.
Sources: O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0) · GPTs-are-GPTs (MIT, 2023) · Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY, Aug & Nov 2025). Page compiled June 2026. "O*NET" is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor.
This page is for general informational purposes only and is not career, financial, or employment advice. AI exposure reflects research estimates of task overlap, not predictions about any individual's job, employer, or future employment.