BETA
Updated: Mar 24
BETA
Updated: Mar 24
Evolving
Last Update: 3/13/2026
Your role’s AI Resilience Score is
51.4%
Median Score
Changing Fast
Evolving
Stable
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
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
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
They operate machines to drill into the ground for water, minerals, or construction, ensuring everything is safe and runs smoothly.
This role is evolving
The career of earth drilling is labeled as "Evolving" because AI and automation are gradually being introduced to handle repetitive tasks like driving rigs and logging data. However, many important tasks still rely on human skills, such as setting up equipment and solving unexpected problems on site.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreThis role is evolving
The career of earth drilling is labeled as "Evolving" because AI and automation are gradually being introduced to handle repetitive tasks like driving rigs and logging data. However, many important tasks still rely on human skills, such as setting up equipment and solving unexpected problems on site.
Read full analysisContributing Sources
We aggregate scores from multiple models and supplement with employment projections for a more accurate picture of this occupation’s resilience. Expand to view all sources.
AI Resilience
AI Resilience Model v1.0
AI Task Resilience
CareerVillage's proprietary model that estimates how resilient each occupation's tasks are to AI automation and augmentation
Evolving48.0%
48.0%
Microsoft's Working with AI
AI Applicability
Measures how applicable AI tools (like Bing Copilot) are to each occupation based on real usage patterns
Stable89.9%
89.9%
Will Robots Take My Job
Automation Resilience
Estimates the probability of automation for each occupation based on research from Oxford University and other academic sources
Changing fast23.7%
23.7%
Althoff & Reichardt
Economic Growth
Measured as "Wage bill" which is a long term projection for average wage × employment. It's the total labor income flowing to an occupation
Evolving47.7%
47.7%
Low 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):
2.9%
Growth Percentile:
49.9%
Annual Openings:
1,700
Annual Openings Pct:
18.9%
Analysis of Current AI Resilience
Earth Drillers, Non-Oil/Gas
Updated Quarterly • Last Update: 2/17/2026
What's changing and what's not
In drilling (outside oil/gas), machines already do much of the heavy work, and some steps are automated. For example, modern exploration and quarry drills often use remote controls and automated systems to add drill rods and regulate speed [1] [2]. Sensors on rigs automatically record depth, pressure and torque so data collection needs less manual logging [3] [4].
Some companies even use robots like MEDATech’s “RodBot” to handle heavy drill rods that workers used to lift by hand [5].
However, many tasks still rely on people. Tasks like setting up drill parts, fixing broken tools, or pulling stuck drill bits generally require human skill because construction sites and rock conditions are unpredictable [1] [5]. There are radio-remote drill rigs (for example Epiroc’s SmartROC series) that let an operator work from a safe distance [5], but a person is still needed to steer and make decisions.
In short, AI and automation today help with the repetitive parts (driving the rig, adding pipes, logging data), but hands-on tasks and tricky problem-solving still need a human operator [1] [2].
Sources
AI in the real world
- Technology readiness and cost. Few off-the-shelf “drilling AI” tools exist. New automated rigs and sensors (like self-leveling controls or rod loaders) come from specialized manufacturers [1] [2]. These machines can be very expensive (often hundreds of thousands or millions), so companies only upgrade when the benefits outweigh the costs.
Overall, AI is slowly entering earth drilling. Some repetitive steps are now made easier with automation, but most earth drilling jobs still need human hands and brains. In a positive light, this means drillers’ skills – like reading the rock, solving problems, and ensuring safety – remain very important, even as technology improves.
Sources
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More Career Info
Career: Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Parent Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$59,600
Jobs (2024)
18,300
Growth (2024-34)
+2.9%
Annual Openings
1,700
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
Less than 5 years
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
Record drilling progress and geological data.
2
Operate hoists to lift power line poles into position.
3
Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites.
4
Review client requirements and proposed locations for drilling operations to determine feasibility, and to determine cost estimates.
5
Inspect core samples to determine nature of strata, or take samples to laboratories for analysis.
6
Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.
7
Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power 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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