AI JOB RISK SCANNER
O*NET-SOC 17-3029.08 / model V11 rated-task engine

Will AI replace
Photonics Technicians?

Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.

Estimated AI task exposure
63%

High exposure

V11 weights occupation tasks using O*NET Importance, Relevance and Frequency ratings instead of treating every task equally.

24 tasks have usable Task Rating records; weighted-task coverage is 100%.

Digital/info work

80/100

Physical moat

67/100

Human moat

15/100

Rating coverage

100%

24 task statements / 24 rated

Highest-weighted occupation tasks

Compute or record photonic test data.
Importance 83/100Relevance 86/100Frequency 63/100Weight 0.79
Adjust or maintain equipment, such as lasers, laser systems, microscopes, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, power meters, beam analyzers, or energy measurement devices.
Importance 80/100Relevance 86/100Frequency 53/100Weight 0.76
Maintain clean working environments, according to clean room standards.
Importance 80/100Relevance 82/100Frequency 51/100Weight 0.74
Set up or operate assembly or processing equipment, such as lasers, cameras, die bonders, wire bonders, dispensers, reflow ovens, soldering irons, die shears, wire pull testers, temperature or humidity chambers, or optical spectrum analyzers.
Importance 71/100Relevance 82/100Frequency 54/100Weight 0.71
Assist engineers in the development of new products, fixtures, tools, or processes.
Importance 66/100Relevance 91/100Frequency 36/100Weight 0.68
Document procedures, such as calibration of optical or fiber optic equipment.
Importance 72/100Relevance 82/100Frequency 37/100Weight 0.67
Assist scientists or engineers in the conduct of photonic experiments.
Importance 70/100Relevance 77/100Frequency 41/100Weight 0.66
Recommend optical or optic equipment design or material changes to reduce costs or processing times.
Importance 65/100Relevance 82/100Frequency 39/100Weight 0.65
Test or perform failure analysis for optomechanical or optoelectrical products, according to test plans.
Importance 68/100Relevance 73/100Frequency 42/100Weight 0.63
Monitor inventory levels and order supplies as necessary.
Importance 50/100Relevance 86/100Frequency 40/100Weight 0.61

Task weighting

Each rated task receives a composite weight: 38% relevance, 37% importance and 25% frequency. Core tasks receive a small additional multiplier. Low-precision rows flagged by O*NET for suppression are excluded.

Occupation scoring

When rating coverage is strong, rated tasks contribute 60% of the digital, physical and human task signals and Work Activities contribute 40%. Lower-coverage occupations automatically rely more on Work Activities.

U.S. labor market

BLS Wage & Employment Outlook

Median annual wage

$78,350

BLS OEWS May 2025

National employment

59,930

BLS OEWS May 2025

Projected growth

+2.8%

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

Average annual openings

5

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

BLS labor-market figures are separate from the site's AI-exposure model. Missing values mean a compatible detailed BLS occupation estimate was not published or could not be mapped.

Career pivot radar

Safer Career Alternatives

These options are selected from the same 923-occupation model. They favor a similar task/work profile with meaningfully lower estimated AI exposure. They are suggestions for exploration, not guarantees of job fit.

SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Helpers--Extraction Workers

5%

58 points lower exposure • 69% profile similarity

Median wage: $47,730 Growth 2025–2035: +1.7% Annual openings: 1

more physical-world work, less digital task exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

5%

58 points lower exposure • 70% profile similarity

Median wage: $65,510 Growth 2025–2035: +6.7% Annual openings: 15

more physical-world work, less digital task exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

5%

58 points lower exposure • 69% profile similarity

Median wage: $56,210 Growth 2025–2035: +4.4% Annual openings: 1

stronger human/judgment moat, more physical-world work
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

6%

57 points lower exposure • 71% profile similarity

Median wage: $58,870 Growth 2025–2035: +2.8% Annual openings: 1

more physical-world work, less digital task exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Home Appliance Repairers

5%

58 points lower exposure • 71% profile similarity

Median wage: $50,990 Growth 2025–2035: +1.9% Annual openings: 3

more physical-world work, less digital task exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Wind Turbine Service Technicians

5%

58 points lower exposure • 69% profile similarity

Median wage: $64,120 Growth 2025–2035: +29.5% Annual openings: 2

more physical-world work, less digital task exposure

Personalized career defense protocol

AI-Proofing Plan

AUTOMATE

  • routine information gathering
  • first-pass document drafting
  • standard reporting and summarization
  • repeatable administrative workflows

AUGMENT

  • research and analysis
  • quality checking AI-generated work
  • decision preparation
  • scenario generation

PROTECT

  • physical-world execution
  • on-site troubleshooting
  • dexterity and equipment interaction

LEARN

  • AI-assisted research
  • workflow automation
  • data literacy
  • prompt and workflow design
  • AI output verification

AI-PROOFING RESOURCES

What this score does not mean

The percentage is a comparative task-exposure index. It is not the probability that this occupation disappears, that a worker is laid off, or that AI can perform the entire job.

New in V11

Find a Safer Career Path

High exposure does not mean starting over. V11 compares your occupation with the other 922 O*NET occupations and surfaces lower-exposure options with similar work profiles.

EXPLORE CAREER ALTERNATIVES
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