Not Very Resilient

Last Update: 10/7/2026

AI Resilience Score for Weld/Solder/Braze Machine:

32.2%

Median Score

Meaningful human contribution

Med

Long-term employer demand

Low

Sustained economic opportunity

Low

Our confidence in this score:
Medium-high

Methodology and Scoring Rationale

To score how resilient welding, soldering, and brazing machine operation is to AI, we ask one question in three parts:

First, how much of the job still needs a human, read from five AI-exposure sources: our own AI Resilience Model, Anthropic's Observed Exposure, Microsoft's AI Applicability, Will Robots Take My Job, and OpenAI Signals. We call this dimension Meaningful Human Contribution (MHC) and weight it at 40%.

Next, whether employers will keep hiring for this job over the long term. This dimension, which we call Long-term Employer Demand (LTE), is calculated from BLS data and weighted at 30%.

Last, whether pay and mobility will hold up. We use wage bill and adaptive capacity data from independent researchers (Althoff & Reichardt, 2026; Manning & Aguirre, 2026). We call this dimension Sustained Economic Opportunity (SEO) and weight it at 30%.

For welding, soldering, and brazing machine operation, seven of eight sources had data (Anthropic had none). AI exposure sources split: Microsoft and OpenAI Signals saw strong human contribution, while Will Robots Take My Job rated it low and our AI Resilience Model landed in the middle. With employer demand and economic opportunity both scoring low, the score lands at "Not Very Resilient."

AI Resilience Report forWelding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$47,920 median salary•2,500 annual openings•SOC Code: 51-4122.00

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders are less resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 7 sources.

This career is labeled "Not Very Resilient" because AI and robotic systems are already taking over many of the core tasks that machine setters, operators, and tenders handle every day, including reading job specs, adjusting settings, and monitoring weld quality. The labor shortage in welding is actually speeding up automation adoption, since shops are eager to replace hard-to-find workers with cobots and AI-guided systems, and the BLS projects only 2% job growth from 2025 to 2035 partly because of this trend.

Learn more about how you can thrive in this position

This role is not very resilient

This career is labeled "Not Very Resilient" because AI and robotic systems are already taking over many of the core tasks that machine setters, operators, and tenders handle every day, including reading job specs, adjusting settings, and monitoring weld quality. The labor shortage in welding is actually speeding up automation adoption, since shops are eager to replace hard-to-find workers with cobots and AI-guided systems, and the BLS projects only 2% job growth from 2025 to 2035 partly because of this trend.

Read full analysis

Analysis of current AI resilience

Weld/Solder/Braze Machine

Updated quarterly

Your move

How can Weld/Solder/Braze Machine prepare for AI?

Your Career Starts Here

Navigate your career with COACH, your free AI Career Coach. Research-backed, designed with career experts.

Explore careers

Plan your next steps

Get resume help

Find jobs

Explore careers

Plan your next steps

Get resume help

Find jobs

Explore careers

Plan your next steps

Get resume help

Find jobs

Career Village Logo

Ask a pro on CareerVillage.org. Free career advice from more than 200,000 professionals.

Latest AI news for Weld/Solder/Braze Machine

The article "Will AI Replace Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders" highlights a significant AI replacement risk for this career, scoring 86/100. However, it also points out that automation can enhance job efficiency. For instance, AI-driven robotic welders can perform repetitive tasks, allowing human operators to focus on quality control and complex repairs. Embracing AI technologies can lead to a more skilled workforce, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in this evolving field. Students should view AI as a tool that can enhance their roles rather than replace them.

More Career Info

Career: Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

They operate machines to join or repair metal parts, ensuring everything is securely connected and functions correctly.

Employment & Wage Data

Median Wage

$47,920

Jobs (2025)

32,900

Growth (2025-35)

-8.9%

Annual Openings

2,500

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

85% ResilienceCore Task

Devise or build fixtures or jigs used to hold parts in place during welding, brazing, or soldering.

2

82% ResilienceCore Task

Clean, lubricate, maintain, and adjust equipment to maintain efficient operation, using air hoses, cleaning fluids, and hand tools.

3

80% ResilienceCore Task

Select, position, align, and bolt jigs, holding fixtures, guides, or stops onto machines, using measuring instruments and hand tools.

4

78% ResilienceCore Task

Assemble, align, and clamp workpieces into holding fixtures to bond, heat-treat, or solder fabricated metal components.

5

75% ResilienceCore Task

Prepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills.

6

72% ResilienceCore Task

Remove completed workpieces or parts from machinery, using hand tools.

7

70% ResilienceCore Task

Lay out, fit, or connect parts to be bonded, calculating production measurements, as necessary.

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.

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.