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How exposed to AI is a Materials Engineer?

Of the 21 tasks O*NET lists for materials engineers, 3 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 11 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Extrusion EngineerMaterials Development EngineerMaterials EngineerMaterials Research EngineerMetallurgical EngineerMetallurgistResearch EngineerTest Engineer
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
21
tasks rated for this occupation
100%
hold a degree, from a survey of 21
22k
people do this job in the US
49 of 56
least protected in architecture and engineering

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

3
  • Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials
  • Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports
  • Write for technical magazines, journals, and trade association publications

Only with software built on top

7
  • Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions
  • Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures
  • Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists
  • Plan and implement laboratory operations to develop material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards
  • Present technical information at conferences
  • Replicate the characteristics of materials and their components, using computers
  • Design processing plants and equipment

Cannot be sped up

11
  • Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration
  • Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality
  • Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives
  • Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments
  • Guide technical staff in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices
  • Review new product plans, and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost
  • Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives, as necessary
  • Supervise production and testing processes in industrial settings, such as metal refining facilities, smelting or foundry operations, or nonmetallic materials production operations
  • Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace
  • Conduct training sessions on new material products, applications, or manufacturing methods for customers and their employees
  • Teach in colleges and universities
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.