Not Very Resilient
Last Update: 6/19/2026
AI Resilience Score for Extraction Workers:
33.5%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
Med
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
Low
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Med
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.
There are a reasonable number of sources for this result, but there is some disagreement between them.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forHelpers--Extraction Workers
$48,400 median salary•700 annual openings•SOC Code: 47-5081.00
Helpers--Extraction Workers are less resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 6 sources.
This career is labeled "Not Very Resilient" because several of its most common tasks are being directly automated by AI. Autonomous haul trucks are already replacing drivers at large mines, and AI-powered drilling systems like Hexagon's Drill Assist are outperforming human operators by 20 to 30 percent, which hits two of the biggest parts of this job.
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This career is labeled "Not Very Resilient" because several of its most common tasks are being directly automated by AI. Autonomous haul trucks are already replacing drivers at large mines, and AI-powered drilling systems like Hexagon's Drill Assist are outperforming human operators by 20 to 30 percent, which hits two of the biggest parts of this job.
Read full analysisAnalysis of Current AI Resilience
Extraction Workers
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Extraction Workers jobs?
If you've ever pictured mining as just pickaxes and hard hats, the reality in 2026 looks a lot more high-tech — but the good news is that AI is mostly helping extraction helpers rather than replacing them. The biggest change is on the haul road: autonomous trucks were first tested in remote iron ore mines in Western Australia in 2008, and now there are nearly 4,000 around the world, with more than half in use in mines in China. In Minnesota, Mesabi Metallics is deploying 400-ton driverless haul trucks as part of a $110 million equipment purchase, directly affecting the "drive moving equipment" task.
AI is also entering drilling — Hexagon's Drill Assist uses an AI engine that monitors machine feedback every 10 milliseconds [1] and has produced productivity gains of 20–30% over the best human operators, helping with the "observe and monitor equipment" task. Deloitte's 2026 Mining and Metals Industry Outlook [2] expects miners to scale autonomous hauling, drilling, AI-enabled process control, and predictive maintenance, while keeping humans in charge of safety-critical decisions. Importantly, a mining engineering professor told Marketplace [3] that the practice in the world shows that automation doesn't reduce jobs — it changes the nature of the job, shifting roles toward control room operators and data analysts.
Hands-on assistance with rigging, cleanup, and equipment dismantling still depends on humans, as a Permian Basin floorhand described in a recent BLS Career Outlook interview [4].
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Extraction Workers?
Adoption is moving quickly in some places and slowly in others. Pushing it forward: a severe skills crunch. The CIM article notes a severe labour shortage in which it can take about a decade to train a driller to expert level, making AI tools attractive.
Global Mining Review predicts smaller, agile miners will lead innovation [5] because they lack legacy systems. Slowing adoption: high equipment costs (those Komatsu trucks aren't cheap), underground navigation limits, union caution, and risk aversion — miners are really risk averse, and the last thing they want is plans designed automatically that aren't good. The encouraging takeaway: human judgment, teamwork, and adaptability still matter, and workers who build digital and safety skills will be well positioned for the future.
Sources
Will AI replace Extraction Workers?
In part. We think AI will eventually automate a real share of this work, but there will still be tasks and transitions that need human hands and judgment.
The numbers here are honest: a 33.5% AI Resilience Score puts this role in a genuinely exposed position. Autonomous haul trucks are already operating at scale around the world, and AI-assisted drilling tools have shown productivity gains of 20 to 30% over experienced human operators [1]. Deloitte expects miners to keep scaling these technologies through the coming years [2]. At the same time, hands-on work like rigging, cleanup, and equipment dismantling still depends on people, and a mining engineering professor noted that automation tends to change the nature of jobs rather than eliminate them outright [3].
The more important question for anyone early in this career is where to go next. Workers who build digital skills, safety expertise, and comfort with monitoring technology will be better positioned to move into control room and data roles as the industry shifts. The extraction sector is facing a real skills crunch [1], which means people who adapt will have options. This job may look different in ten years, but the skills you build here can carry you further than this one role.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Extraction Workers
These articles highlight how AI is transforming careers in extraction industries, emphasizing both efficiency and new challenges. For instance, the piece on gold mining reveals how AI enhances safety and resource management, which can lead to more sustainable practices. Meanwhile, the article on AI moderation sheds light on the psychological toll of AI training, reminding future workers to prioritize mental well-being. Embracing AI in these roles offers resilience, enabling workers to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Enabled emissions: How AI helps to supercharge oil and gas production
globalwitness.org • 1/27/2026
AI is quietly boosting fossil fuel expansion, helping companies to drill more confidently and enabling even more destructive emissions to be...
BNY builds “AI for everyone, everywhere” with OpenAI
openai.com • 12/12/2025
With frontier capabilities from OpenAI, BNY enables employees to build AI agents that help deepen client relationships and support every...
The Role of AI in Gold Mining: 7 Powerful Advances for 2025
farmonaut.com • 8/18/2025
Discover how AI transforms gold mining by boosting efficiency, safety, and sustainability while optimizing operations and resource management.
How agentic AI can change the way banks fight financial crime
www.mckinsey.com • 8/7/2025
Discover how agentic AI is reshaping banking compliance by automating end-to-end KYC and AML processes, and boosting efficiency,...
The Hidden Human Cost of AI Moderation
jacobin.com • 6/28/2025
Training AI often means staring at humanity's worst atrocities for hours at a time. Workers tasked with this labor endure psychological...
More Career Info
Career: Helpers--Extraction Workers
They assist miners by carrying tools and equipment, clearing debris, and ensuring safety to help extract minerals and resources from the ground.
Parent Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$48,400
Jobs (2024)
7,000
Growth (2024-34)
-1.7%
Annual Openings
700
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
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
Repair and maintain automotive and drilling equipment, using hand tools.
2
Provide assistance to extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers and derrick operators.
3
Unload materials, devices and machine parts, using hand tools.
4
Dismantle extracting and boring equipment used for excavation, using hand tools.
5
Signal workers to start geological material extraction or boring.
6
Load materials into well holes or into equipment, using hand tools.
7
Clean up work areas and remove debris after extraction activities are complete.
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.
