BETA
Updated: Mar 24
BETA
Updated: Mar 24
Evolving
Last Update: 3/13/2026
Your role’s AI Resilience Score is
52.1%
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
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
They operate drilling machines to dig deep holes in the ground to find and extract oil and gas.
This role is evolving
The career of a rotary drill operator in the oil and gas industry is labeled as "Evolving" because AI tools are increasingly being used to make drilling faster and safer. Automated systems now handle routine tasks and monitor equipment health, but skilled humans are still essential for making important decisions, like selecting the right drill bit and handling unexpected issues.
Read full analysisLearn more about how you can thrive in this position
View analysis
Chat with Coach
Latest news
More career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreLearn more about how you can thrive in this position
View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreThis role is evolving
The career of a rotary drill operator in the oil and gas industry is labeled as "Evolving" because AI tools are increasingly being used to make drilling faster and safer. Automated systems now handle routine tasks and monitor equipment health, but skilled humans are still essential for making important decisions, like selecting the right drill bit and handling unexpected issues.
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
Evolving31.7%
31.7%
Microsoft's Working with AI
AI Applicability
Measures how applicable AI tools (like Bing Copilot) are to each occupation based on real usage patterns
Stable86.3%
86.3%
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
Evolving46.2%
46.2%
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):
0.2%
Growth Percentile:
27.5%
Annual Openings:
1,200
Annual Openings Pct:
14.1%
Analysis of Current AI Resilience
Rotary Drill Operator
Updated Quarterly • Last Update: 2/17/2026
What's changing and what's not
Rotary drill operators work large rigs to reach underground oil or rock samples [1]. Today, many tools use digital sensors and controls to help them. For example, automated systems (sometimes called “auto-drillers”) can handle routine steps like adding or removing pipe sections and adjusting weight-on-bit automatically to keep drilling efficient [2] [3].
In practice, industry sources say AI models can make drilling 5–15% faster and cut downtime by up to 30% [3]. Computers also collect data on drilling speed, depth, and tool wear so operators can monitor progress without manual counting. Predictive maintenance tools watch machine health and warn when parts need service, helping prevent breakdowns [4].
At the same time, most drillers still do tasks that need human judgment. Choosing the right drill bit for a rock layer, training the crew for safety, and fixing unexpected problems remain hands-on jobs. Experts note that even “smart” rigs need humans to oversee them: operators monitor automated systems and step in if something goes wrong [2] [5].
In short, basic drilling aids and monitoring are increasingly digital, but the overall job is far from fully robotic. Human skill in safety and leadership is still vital on the rig.
Sources
AI in the real world
Oil companies may invest in AI if it clearly boosts safety or saves money. Autonomy can improve safety -- for instance, systems can warn of equipment faults in real time – and let one person oversee several rigs, cutting costs [6] [4]. But setting up high-tech rigs costs a lot (hundreds of millions of dollars in some projects [4]).
When oil prices fall or costs are high, companies move carefully. Another challenge is that many rigs are in remote areas. Reliable satellite links and sensors are needed to run automated systems far offshore or in the desert [6].
Experts also point out non-technical factors: drilling data is sensitive, and the industry is cautious about new tech. Many rig workers are experienced hands who need new training to work with AI, which can slow change [4] [6]. In the end, companies will balance clear benefits (like fewer accidents and breakdowns) with practical limits.
As one drilling trade article explains, adoption may grow steadily: firms want AI’s gains, but only situations that pay off in safety and efficiency will move first [4] [6].
Sources
Help us improve this report.
Tell us if this analysis feels accurate or we missed something.
Share your feedback
More Career Info
Career: Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Parent Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$65,010
Jobs (2024)
13,300
Growth (2024-34)
+0.2%
Annual Openings
1,200
Education
No formal educational credential
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
Direct rig crews in drilling and other activities, such as setting up rigs and completing or servicing wells.
2
Dig holes, set forms, and mix and pour concrete, for foundations of steel or wooden derricks.
3
Train crews, and introduce procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
4
Monitor progress of drilling operations, and select and change drill bits according to the nature of strata, using hand tools.
5
Lower and explode charges in boreholes to start flow of oil from wells.
6
Locate and recover lost or broken bits, casings, and drill pipes from wells, using special tools.
7
Cap wells with packers, or turn valves, to regulate outflow of oil from wells.
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.
© 2026 CareerVillage.org. All rights reserved.
The AI Resilience Report is a project from CareerVillage.org®, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Built with ❤️ by Sandbox Web
The AI Resilience Report is governed by CareerVillage.org’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. This site is not affiliated with Anthropic, Microsoft, or any other data provider and doesn't necessarily represent their viewpoints. This site is being actively updated, and may sometimes contain errors or require improvement in wording or data. To report an error or request a change, please contact air@careervillage.org.