Will AI replace Model Makers, Metal and Plastic?
AI reaches little of this job’s work.
9/100
Low exposure
More exposed to AI than 20% of US workers.
- AI already used in
- 0% of the work
- As AI tools mature: up to
- 18% of the work
What the job involves
Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, milling and engraving machines, and jig borers to make working models of metal or plastic objects. Includes template makers.
Where AI reaches the work
The job’s main tasks, heaviest first, by how far AI reaches them.
Within reach(3)
- Devise and construct tools, dies, molds, jigs, and fixtures, or modify existing tools and equipment.
- Program computer numerical control (CNC) machines to fabricate model parts.
- Use computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software or hardware to fabricate model parts.
Out of reach(13)
- Study blueprints, drawings, and sketches to determine material dimensions, required equipment, and operations sequences.
- Rework or alter component model or parts as required to ensure that products meet standards.
- Inspect and test products to verify conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments or circuit testers.
- Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, drill presses, punch presses, or bandsaws, to fabricate prototypes or models.
- Drill, countersink, and ream holes in parts and assemblies for bolts, screws, and other fasteners, using power tools.
and 8 more
Also called
Model Builder · Model Maker · Appliances Sample Maker · Engineering Model Maker · Pattern Finisher · Dioramist · Display Maker · Fabricator
Related jobs
What these numbers mean
The score is the share of this job’s work, weighted by how important and frequent each task is, that AI could do in half the time: tasks an AI model could do alone count in full, tasks that need software built on AI count half.
“AI already used” is the share of the work in tasks where people are recorded using AI today. “As AI tools mature” counts every task AI could halve, with or without extra software.
The percentile compares the score with every job’s, weighted by how many people in the US do each one. Exposure means AI could change how the work is done, not that the job goes away. These are estimates for the typical job, not predictions.
Sources
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
- GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs (task labels), Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), OpenAI and University of Pennsylvania
- Anthropic Economic Index: labor market impacts (task penetration), Anthropic
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national and metropolitan areas), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics