Construction sites are trying rebar-tying robots, digital building models and software that plans steel deliveries and crane lifts. Ironworkers still read blueprints, signal cranes, align beams at height and bolt, tie and weld iron and steel into place.
The short answer: current evidence does not point to AI replacing ironworkers. The ILO's 2025 index rates structural metal preparers and erectors as not exposed, with a score of 0.11, one of the lowest scores in the index. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 1 percent growth for ironworkers from 2025 to 2035, slower than average, with about 6,800 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed ironworkers are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Structural Metal Preparers and Erectors | Not exposed | 0.11 |
The ILO scores groups of occupations, so this is the closest group for ironworkers, not a score for the job title itself. The index measures generative AI, not robots or automated machines.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Structural iron and steel workers | Grow 3% | In total |
| Reinforcing iron and rebar workers | Decline 5% | In total |
| Ironworkers, total | Grow 1% | About 6,800 |
The BLS expects most openings to come from replacing workers who retire or change occupations. Its outlook does not explain the split between structural and rebar work, and it does not mention AI.
Where technology is showing up
- Rebar-tying robots on some bridge and slab jobs.
- Digital building models that show steel connections in 3D.
- Software that plans deliveries and crane lifts.
- Searching specs and drawings on site.
What stays with ironworkers
- Work at height: connecting and aligning steel in changing conditions.
- Crane work: signaling and guiding loads safely into place.
- Bolting and welding: hands-on connections that hold the building up.
- Checking AI help: AI answers about specs, loads or procedures can be wrong, so the drawings and engineer win, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Repetitive tasks such as tying rebar are where machines are being tried first. Rigging, connecting and welding at height stay skilled, safety-critical trades.
See also will AI replace welders?, will AI replace construction workers? and will AI replace sheet metal workers?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for structural iron and steel workers at $61,910 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: high school diploma or equivalent. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace ironworkers?
Not on current evidence. The ILO rates structural metal erectors as not exposed, and the BLS projects 1 percent growth for ironworkers from 2025 to 2035.
Are rebar workers declining?
The BLS projects a 5 percent decline for reinforcing iron and rebar workers and 3 percent growth for structural iron and steel workers.
How many ironworker openings are expected?
The BLS projects about 6,800 openings a year, mostly replacing workers who leave.
What ironworker work stays human?
Work at height, crane signaling, bolting and welding, and checking AI answers against drawings.