AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 17-3029.01
Will AI replace Non-Destructive Testing Specialists?
Non-Destructive Testing Specialists: AI can already handle 10 of 16 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 16 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Non-Destructive Testing Specialists, from most to least exposed. 10 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify defects in solid materials, using ultrasonic testing techniques. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Make radiographic images to detect flaws in objects while leaving objects intact. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Prepare reports on non-destructive testing results. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Visually examine materials, structures, or components for signs of corrosion, metal fatigue, cracks, or other flaws, using tools and equipment such as endoscopes, closed-circuit television systems, and fiber optics. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Document non-destructive testing methods, processes, or results. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Produce images of objects on film, using radiographic techniques. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Map the presence of imperfections within objects, using sonic measurements. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Interpret or evaluate test results in accordance with applicable codes, standards, specifications, or procedures. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Interpret the results of all methods of non-destructive testing (NDT), such as acoustic emission, electromagnetic, leak, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, neutron radiographic, radiographic, thermal or infrared, ultrasonic, vibration analysis, and visual testing. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Evaluate material properties, using radio astronomy, voltage and amperage measurement, or rheometric flow measurement. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Conduct liquid penetrant tests to locate surface cracks by coating objects with fluorescent dyes, cleaning excess penetrant, and applying developer. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Develop or use new non-destructive testing methods, such as acoustic emission testing, leak testing, and thermal or infrared testing. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Examine structures or vehicles such as aircraft, trains, nuclear reactors, bridges, dams, and pipelines, using non-destructive testing techniques. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Supervise or direct the work of non-destructive testing trainees or staff. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Select, calibrate, or operate equipment used in the non-destructive testing of products or materials. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Identify defects in concrete or other building materials, using thermal or infrared testing. | Estimated | No tier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 16 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 16 of 16. 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
A standard-tier model or lower covers 90% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 95% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 5% 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
- 59,930
- Median annual wage
- $78,350
- Middle half of earners
- $60,390 to $99,310
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +1.5%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.
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.
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers 60% skill overlap, about 14 months to move Exposure36
- Nuclear Monitoring Technicians 60% skill overlap, about 14 months to move Exposure54
- Nuclear Engineers 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure52
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure37
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure61
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Non-Destructive Testing Specialists and AI
Will AI replace Non-Destructive Testing Specialists?
AI already handles 10 of the 16 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 59 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 +1.5% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Non-Destructive Testing Specialists?
59 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 16 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 16 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Non-Destructive Testing Specialists tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Identify defects in solid materials, using ultrasonic testing techniques; Make radiographic images to detect flaws in objects while leaving objects intact; Prepare reports on non-destructive testing results. They are three of the 10 tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A standard-tier model or lower covers 90% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 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 Non-Destructive Testing Specialists, and what do they earn?
59,930 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $78,350 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +1.5% 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: Non-Destructive Testing Specialists. 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/non-destructive-testing-specialists
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