BETA
Updated: Feb 6
BETA
Updated: Feb 6
Evolving
Last Update: 11/21/2025
Your role’s AI Resilience Score is
59.0%
Median Score
Changing Fast
Evolving
Stable
What does this resilience result mean?
These roles are shifting as AI becomes part of everyday workflows. Expect new responsibilities and new opportunities.
AI Resilience Report for
Commercial Divers
They work underwater to fix, build, or inspect structures like bridges and pipelines, using special diving gear to stay safe while doing their tasks.
Summary
The career of a commercial diver is labeled as "Evolving" because AI and robots are increasingly used to handle routine underwater inspection tasks, making those parts of the job safer and more efficient. However, human divers are still essential for complex tasks like welding and making quick decisions in unpredictable underwater conditions.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoSummary
The career of a commercial diver is labeled as "Evolving" because AI and robots are increasingly used to handle routine underwater inspection tasks, making those parts of the job safer and more efficient. However, human divers are still essential for complex tasks like welding and making quick decisions in unpredictable underwater conditions.
Read full analysisContributing Sources
AI Resilience
All scores are converted into percentiles showing where this career ranks among U.S. careers. For models that measure impact or risk, we flip the percentile (subtract it from 100) to derive resilience.
CareerVillage.org's AI Resilience Analysis
AI Task Resilience
Evolving47.5%
47.5%
Microsoft's Working with AI
AI Applicability
Stable72.0%
72.0%
Will Robots Take My Job
Automation Resilience
Stable84.8%
84.8%
Medium Demand
Labor Market Outlook
We use BLS employment projections to complement the AI-focused assessments from other sources.
Learn about this scoreGrowth Rate (2024-34):
8.5%
Growth Percentile:
89.4%
Annual Openings:
0.4
Annual Openings Pct:
3.9%
Analysis of Current AI Resilience
Commercial Divers
Updated Quarterly • Last Update: 11/22/2025
State of Automation & Augmentation
In underwater work today, robots often help divers with inspection tasks. For example, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) carry cameras, sonar and sensor tools to inspect pipelines, ship hulls and oil‐rig legs [1] [2]. These machines can operate deep and long without air, reducing danger for people.
Research even shows computers can be trained to spot cracks or corrosion in the video they record [3]. In short, simple inspection and photography tasks are increasingly done by AI‐assisted robots, so divers don’t have to watch every scan themselves.
That said, many jobs still need a human diver. Complex repairs like welding, cutting, or turning valves underwater have not been fully automated yet [2] [2]. Likewise, underwater communication (via helmet phones or lines) and planning based on changing ocean conditions are handled by people.
Studies note that fully autonomous undersea robots for manipulation have not been deployed in the field yet [2] [2]. In other words, while robots take on routine scanning and data-gathering, divers remain essential for tricky or hands-on work, or making judgment calls that AI can’t do by itself.
Sources
AI Adoption
Robotics and AI are attractive in diving chiefly for safety and efficiency. Machines don’t need breaks or decompression, so they can work much longer than a person [1]. Companies also save money: one review notes that cutting inspection costs is a major reason firms try AI vehicles and drones [3].
In fact, energy companies (like Shell) and startups are investing in AI-powered drones to inspect and maintain underwater infrastructure more cheaply and with less risk [4] [1]. There is also a shortage of skilled divers in many places, so having robots do part of the job can fill gaps (though human oversight is still needed).
On the other hand, AI adoption is gradual because of cost and technical limits. The high-tech robotic systems are expensive to buy and run, so they make sense only on big, long-term projects [3]. Autonomous underwater robots must be extremely reliable in harsh conditions, and current models are mostly in testing.
Review articles emphasize that most intervention tasks (cleaning, welding, etc.) still rely on ROVs or human divers [2] [2]. Regulations also often require certified divers for safety, which slows full automation. In short, machines are steadily taking over straightforward inspection work, but the human skills of a commercial diver – creativity, judgment, and hands-on expertise – remain valuable.
Divers will likely continue working with robots, using their experience for complex decisions while robots handle the routine, dangerous parts [2] [2].
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More Career Info
Career: Commercial Divers
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Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$61,130
Jobs (2024)
4,200
Growth (2024-34)
+8.5%
Annual Openings
400
Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Recover objects by placing rigging around sunken objects, hooking rigging to crane lines, and operating winches, derricks, or cranes to raise objects.
2
Supervise or train other divers, including hobby divers.
3
Drill holes in rock and rig explosives for underwater demolitions.
4
Take appropriate safety precautions, such as monitoring dive lengths and depths and registering with authorities before diving expeditions begin.
5
Check and maintain diving equipment, such as helmets, masks, air tanks, harnesses, or gauges.
6
Descend into water with the aid of diver helpers, using scuba gear or diving suits.
7
Repair ships, bridge foundations, or other structures below the water line, using caulk, bolts, and hand tools.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
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