Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Right now, most work that helpers do on plumbing or pipefitting jobs is still done by people using power tools. These jobs are very physical: O*NET notes that helpers spend a lot of time handling and moving objects and using their whole body to lift, climb, and carry materials ^[1]. As a result, there aren’t many off-the-shelf robots or AI systems that can drill holes, cut and fit pipes, or mount brackets in a typical home or building.

Some very specialized machines exist – for example, ABB developed an autonomous drilling robot that can move up an elevator shaft and drill holes with precision by scanning the concrete surface ^[2] – but this is a one-of-a-kind tool for elevators, not a common site machine. In everyday plumbing work, drills and basic power tools are still used by people to cut holes and install pipes. There are a few examples of technology helping on the job: for instance, some construction companies experiment with augmented-reality (AR) glasses or tablets that overlay instructions on a view of the work ^[3].

This kind of AR can show a helper exactly where to put a pipe or warn about wires, helping them work faster and safer. However, even these AR tools are just starting out in the construction world, and they assist rather than replace the worker. In summary, AI or robots are not yet performing these helper tasks independently ^{[2] [3]}; most cutting, measuring, and fitting of pipes is still done the traditional way by humans.

There are several reasons AI and robots would be slow to take over plumbing-helper jobs. First, the construction industry as a whole has been slow to adopt AI tools. A McKinsey study notes that only a few construction firms today have the budget or the trained staff to deploy fancy AI systems ^[4].

Many companies also hesitate because new machines and software can cost a lot upfront, and so far they often see only modest savings or productivity gains ^[4]. In fact, most tech startups in construction have focused on better planning, project-tracking, or safety monitoring – tasks like scheduling crews and updating blueprints – rather than on-site jobs like laying pipes ^{[4] [4]}. In other words, there aren’t many plug-and-play AI tools for pipefitting helpers right now.

Also, plumbing jobs are often done on busy, irregular building sites rather than in a factory, so it’s hard to bring in a big robot. Overall, the economic benefits of automation in these trades aren’t always clear-cut yet – human helpers are relatively low-paid (around $16–17 per hour on average ^[5]) compared to the cost of expensive machinery or complex software.