AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 51-9141.00
Will AI replace Semiconductor Processing Technicians?
Semiconductor Processing Technicians: AI can already handle 2 of 20 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs a standard-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 20 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Semiconductor Processing Technicians, from most to least exposed. 2 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Count, sort, and weigh processed items. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Calculate etching time based on thickness of material to be removed from wafers or crystals. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Align photo mask pattern on photoresist layer, expose pattern to ultraviolet light, and develop pattern, using specialized equipment. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Maintain processing, production, and inspection information and reports. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Inspect materials, components, or products for surface defects and measure circuitry, using electronic test equipment, precision measuring instruments, microscope, and standard procedures. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Clean and maintain equipment, including replacing etching and rinsing solutions and cleaning bath containers and work area. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Manipulate valves, switches, and buttons, or key commands into control panels to start semiconductor processing cycles. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Etch, lap, polish, or grind wafers or ingots to form circuitry and change conductive properties, using etching, lapping, polishing, or grinding equipment. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Clean semiconductor wafers using cleaning equipment, such as chemical baths, automatic wafer cleaners, or blow-off wands. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Study work orders, instructions, formulas, and processing charts to determine specifications and sequence of operations. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Load semiconductor material into furnace. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Monitor operation and adjust controls of processing machines and equipment to produce compositions with specific electronic properties, using computer terminals. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Stamp, etch, or scribe identifying information on finished component according to specifications. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Scribe or separate wafers into dice. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Connect reactor to computer, using hand tools and power tools. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Measure and weigh amounts of crystal growing materials, mix and grind materials, load materials into container, and monitor processing procedures to help identify crystal growing problems. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Set, adjust, and readjust computerized or mechanical equipment controls to regulate power level, temperature, vacuum, and rotation speed of furnace, according to crystal growing specifications. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Load and unload equipment chambers and transport finished product to storage or to area for further processing. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Place semiconductor wafers in processing containers or equipment holders, using vacuum wand or tweezers. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Inspect equipment for leaks, diagnose malfunctions, and request repairs. | Estimated | No tier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 20 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 20 of 20. 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 26% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 31% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 70% 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
- 31,460
- Median annual wage
- $51,430
- Middle half of earners
- $45,640 to $65,010
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +10.9%
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.
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians 65% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure61
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians 63% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure52
- Chemical Technicians 62% skill overlap, about 14 months to move Exposure52
- Biofuels Processing Technicians 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure28
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure65
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Semiconductor Processing Technicians and AI
Will AI replace Semiconductor Processing Technicians?
AI already handles 2 of the 20 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 24 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 +10.9% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Semiconductor Processing Technicians?
24 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 20 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 20 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Semiconductor Processing Technicians tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Count, sort, and weigh processed items; Calculate etching time based on thickness of material to be removed from wafers or crystals. They are the tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A standard-tier model or lower covers 26% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 70% 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 Semiconductor Processing Technicians, and what do they earn?
31,460 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $51,430 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +10.9% 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: Semiconductor Processing Technicians. 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/semiconductor-processing-technicians
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