AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 49-9092.00

Will AI replace Commercial Divers?

Commercial Divers: AI can already handle 1 of 23 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs an efficient-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 23 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Commercial Divers, from most to least exposed. 1 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Take test samples or photographs to assess the condition of vessels or structures. 65 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Inspect and test docks, ships, buoyage systems, plant intakes or outflows, or underwater pipelines, cables, or sewers, using closed circuit television, still photography, and testing equipment. 50 Estimated Standard 4.0
Supervise or train other divers, including hobby divers. 35 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Remove obstructions from strainers or marine railway or launching ways, using pneumatic or power hand tools. 35 Estimated Efficient 3.5
Check and maintain diving equipment, such as helmets, masks, air tanks, harnesses, or gauges. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.7
Inspect the condition of underwater steel or wood structures. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Repair ships, bridge foundations, or other structures below the water line, using caulk, bolts, and hand tools. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Install, inspect, clean, or repair piping or valves. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Install pilings or footings for piers or bridges. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Perform offshore oil or gas exploration or extraction duties, such as conducting underwater surveys or repairing and maintaining drilling rigs or platforms. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Take appropriate safety precautions, such as monitoring dive lengths and depths and registering with authorities before diving expeditions begin. 15 Estimated No tier 4.8
Communicate with workers on the surface while underwater, using signal lines or telephones. 15 Estimated No tier 4.6
Descend into water with the aid of diver helpers, using scuba gear or diving suits. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Obtain information about diving tasks and environmental conditions. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Recover objects by placing rigging around sunken objects, hooking rigging to crane lines, and operating winches, derricks, or cranes to raise objects. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Operate underwater video, sonar, recording, or related equipment to investigate underwater structures or marine life. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Cut and weld steel, using underwater welding equipment, jigs, and supports. 15 Estimated No tier 3.7
Salvage wrecked ships or their cargo, using pneumatic power velocity and hydraulic tools and explosive charges, when necessary. 15 Estimated No tier 3.6
Set or guide placement of pilings or sandbags to provide support for structures, such as docks, bridges, cofferdams, or platforms. 15 Estimated No tier 3.5
Perform activities related to underwater search and rescue, salvage, recovery, or cleanup operations. 15 Estimated No tier 3.5
Drill holes in rock and rig explosives for underwater demolitions. 15 Estimated No tier 3.3
Remove rubbish or pollution from the sea. 15 Estimated No tier 3.3
Carry out non-destructive testing, such as tests for cracks on the legs of oil rigs at sea. 8 Estimated No tier 3.7

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 23 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 23 of 23. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

An efficient-tier model or lower covers 39% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 44% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 56% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
3,450
Median annual wage
$72,990
Middle half of earners
$54,810 to $101,550
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+8.5%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Commercial Divers and AI

Will AI replace Commercial Divers?

AI already handles 1 of the 23 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 22 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +8.5% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Commercial Divers?

22 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 23 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 23 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Commercial Divers tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Take test samples or photographs to assess the condition of vessels or structures. It is the only task that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

An efficient-tier model or lower covers 39% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 56% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Commercial Divers, and what do they earn?

3,450 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $72,990 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +8.5% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Commercial Divers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/commercial-divers

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