Mostly Resilient
Last Update: 8/30/2026
AI Resilience Score for Maintenance and Repair Worker:
58.7%
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.
High
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%).
High
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%).
Low
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 forMaintenance and Repair Workers, General
$49,590 median salary•148,700 annual openings•SOC Code: 49-9071.00
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General are somewhat more resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 7 sources.
Maintenance and Repair Workers are labeled "Mostly Resilient" because the hands-on, physical side of the job (grabbing tools, diagnosing problems in person, and fixing equipment on the spot) is still very difficult for AI or robots to replicate. AI is absolutely entering this field, but it is mostly taking over the paperwork, like scheduling repairs, ordering parts, and predicting when something might break down, which actually frees workers up to focus on the skilled labor that matters most.
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Maintenance and Repair Workers are labeled "Mostly Resilient" because the hands-on, physical side of the job (grabbing tools, diagnosing problems in person, and fixing equipment on the spot) is still very difficult for AI or robots to replicate. AI is absolutely entering this field, but it is mostly taking over the paperwork, like scheduling repairs, ordering parts, and predicting when something might break down, which actually frees workers up to focus on the skilled labor that matters most.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreAnalysis of Current AI Resilience
Maintenance and Repair Worker
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Maintenance and Repair Worker jobs?
If you're worried about a robot taking over a maintenance job, here's the honest answer: AI is showing up in this field, but mostly as a helper — not a replacement. Most current automation targets the paperwork side of the job, like logging repairs, ordering parts, and estimating costs. MaintainX's third annual State of Industrial Maintenance report reveals 58% of teams are using AI in their operations, with 75% reporting measurable ROI in under six months, according to industry news site Inspenet [1].
AI copilots now read manuals, draft work orders, and predict when equipment will fail — but a human still has to grab the wrench. As the Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA) explains [2], digital tools can turn campuses into places where "buildings monitor their maintenance requirements, HVAC systems self-adjust in real time, and space is optimized." That's augmentation — AI spots the problem, and workers fix it. Even the newest robotics research agrees the hands-on work is safe for a while: McKinsey's 2026 robotics outlook [3] says value from physical AI will come "not through worker replacement…but through our ability to innovate what products we make," elevating humans into problem-solving roles.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Maintenance and Repair Worker?
Adoption is moving fast for software tasks and slower for physical repair. On the fast side, Maintenance World reports [4] that building maintenance in 2026 sits "at a crossroads between 'AI hype' and 'Industrial AI' reality," meaning managers are actively buying condition-monitoring and predictive tools. Facilities Dive's 2026 trends piece [5] notes that leaders now want "capital requests supported by documented evidence rather than assumptions," which pushes AI-driven maintenance data into daily decisions.
Trade groups are pushing the same direction — the Mechanical Contractors Association of America's MEP Innovation Conference [6] signaled a shift from jobsite thinking to manufacturing discipline, embracing digital tools. On the slow side, hands-on repair is hard to automate: Maintenance World's July 2026 piece on physical AI [4] shows humanoid robots are still in pilot stages at places like BMW, far from replacing a plumber or electrician. Labor demand also protects these jobs — the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics [7] projects 4% growth from 2025–35, adding about 68,600 jobs.
Translation: learn the tools, embrace the AI copilots, and your hands-on skills will remain valuable.
Sources
Will AI replace Maintenance and Repair Worker?
No. We don't think AI will replace Maintenance and Repair Workers, General, though we do expect the job to change.
We give this career a 58.7% AI Resilience Score, and the core reason is simple: AI can spot a problem, but it still needs a human to fix it. Right now, the technology is handling paperwork-style tasks like logging repairs, ordering parts, and predicting equipment failures. About 58% of maintenance teams are already using AI in their operations [1], but those tools are copilots, not replacements. The physical repair work itself remains stubbornly hard to automate, with humanoid robots still in early pilot stages far from replacing a plumber or electrician [4].
Demand for these workers is holding up well. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4% job growth from 2025 to 2035, adding around 68,600 jobs [7]. Facilities leaders are leaning into AI-driven maintenance data to justify capital decisions [5], which means workers who understand those tools will be more valuable, not less.
The honest caveat is that wages and career flexibility face real pressure over time. The best move is to embrace the AI tools showing up in your field now, because the workers who pair hands-on skills with digital fluency are the ones who will stay ahead.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Maintenance and Repair Worker
These articles highlight the evolving landscape for Maintenance and Repair Workers, emphasizing the resilience of this career in the age of AI. For instance, the piece on aviation maintenance addresses the technician shortage and suggests that AI can enhance efficiency through improved tools and skills development. Additionally, the article on AI's role in maintenance reveals how real-time data analysis can lead to proactive repairs rather than reactive troubleshooting. This indicates that while AI will change workflows, skilled tradespeople will remain essential on-site, blending technology with hands-on expertise.
AI-Resilient Skilled Trades Jobs
www.airesilience.org • 9/20/2026
31 Skilled Trades Careers in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair which are relatively resistant to AI disruption, based on our AI Resilience scores. Read more
Will AI Replace Maintenance and Repair Workers in 2026?
aicareerindex.com • 9/20/2026
AI helps with work-order ticketing, parts lookup, and preventive maintenance scheduling, but the work itself requires a person on site with a toolbelt.
Using AI in Maintenance: Applications and Benefits
www.augury.com • 9/20/2026
Feb 27, 2026 — By analyzing data in real time, AI can detect equipment issues early, enabling proactive, data-driven repairs instead of manual troubleshooting. Read more
Addressing the shortage of aviation maintenance technicians
www.mckinsey.com • 3/24/2026
Aviation MROs face a technician shortage, but better wrench time, digital and AI tools, and skills development can unlock major workforce...
Agents, robots, and us: Skill partnerships in the age of AI
www.mckinsey.com • 11/25/2025
Learn how AI is transforming work, focusing on the collaboration between humans, agents, and robots.
More Career Info
Career: Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
They fix and maintain machines, equipment, and buildings to keep everything working smoothly and safely.
Parent Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$49,590
Jobs (2025)
1,621,800
Growth (2025-35)
+4.2%
Annual Openings
148,700
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-2035
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Fabricate or repair counters, benches, partitions, or other wooden structures, such as sheds or outbuildings.
2
Assemble boilers at installation sites, using tools such as levels, plumb bobs, hammers, torches, or other hand tools.
3
Assemble, install, or repair wiring, electrical or electronic components, pipe systems, plumbing, machinery, or equipment.
4
Paint or repair roofs, windows, doors, floors, woodwork, plaster, drywall, or other parts of building structures.
5
Repair machines, equipment, or structures, using tools such as hammers, hoists, saws, drills, wrenches, or equipment such as precision measuring instruments or electrical or electronic testing devices...
6
Set up and operate machine tools to repair or fabricate machine parts, jigs, fixtures, or tools.
7
Maintain or repair specialized equipment or machinery located in cafeterias, laundries, hospitals, stores, offices, or factories.
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.
