AI JOB RISK SCANNER
O*NET-SOC 51-6031.00 / model V11 rated-task engine

Will AI replace
Sewing Machine Operators?

Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.

Estimated AI task exposure
11%

Low exposure

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

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

Digital/info work

17/100

Physical moat

51/100

Human moat

10/100

Rating coverage

100%

26 task statements / 26 rated

Highest-weighted occupation tasks

Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components.
Importance 83/100Relevance 96/100Frequency 82/100Weight 0.88
Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions.
Importance 85/100Relevance 94/100Frequency 82/100Weight 0.88
Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.
Importance 82/100Relevance 88/100Frequency 86/100Weight 0.85
Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.
Importance 83/100Relevance 82/100Frequency 83/100Weight 0.83
Fold or stretch edges or lengths of items while sewing to facilitate forming specified sections.
Importance 79/100Relevance 88/100Frequency 75/100Weight 0.82
Select supplies such as fasteners and thread, according to job requirements.
Importance 78/100Relevance 89/100Frequency 71/100Weight 0.81
Cut excess material or thread from finished products.
Importance 79/100Relevance 80/100Frequency 82/100Weight 0.80
Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.
Importance 79/100Relevance 76/100Frequency 84/100Weight 0.79
Turn knobs, screws, and dials to adjust settings of machines, according to garment styles and equipment performance.
Importance 76/100Relevance 84/100Frequency 69/100Weight 0.77
Match cloth pieces in correct sequences prior to sewing them, and verify that dye lots and patterns match.
Importance 79/100Relevance 73/100Frequency 76/100Weight 0.76

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

$36,670

BLS OEWS May 2025

National employment

104,880

BLS OEWS May 2025

Projected growth

-15.1%

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

Average annual openings

10

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

Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles

6%

5 points lower exposure • 97% profile similarity

Median wage: $56,460 Growth 2025–2035: +9.0% Annual openings: 2

similar work profile with lower modeled exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

5%

6 points lower exposure • 95% profile similarity

Median wage: $47,720 Growth 2025–2035: +0.7% Annual openings: 5

more physical-world work
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Tile and Stone Setters

6%

5 points lower exposure • 97% profile similarity

Median wage: $55,690 Growth 2025–2035: +9.8% Annual openings: 3

similar work profile with lower modeled exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Forest and Conservation Workers

5%

6 points lower exposure • 94% profile similarity

Median wage: $43,680 Growth 2025–2035: -1.5% Annual openings: 2

more physical-world work
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Roofers

5%

6 points lower exposure • 93% profile similarity

Median wage: $55,440 Growth 2025–2035: +5.3% Annual openings: 12

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

Plasterers and Stucco Masons

5%

6 points lower exposure • 94% profile similarity

Median wage: $57,660 Growth 2025–2035: +2.8% Annual openings: 2

more physical-world work

Personalized career defense protocol

AI-Proofing Plan

AUTOMATE

    AUGMENT

    • administrative support tasks
    • planning and documentation

    PROTECT

      LEARN

      • basic AI literacy

      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
      I am your guide.
      Knowledge is your strongest upgrade.