Hospital equipment now reports its own errors, gets software updates and can be checked remotely. Medical equipment repairers, also called biomedical equipment technicians, still install, test, calibrate and fix the machines that diagnose, monitor and treat patients.
The short answer: AI exposure is low, and more equipment means more repair work. The ILO's 2025 index rates electronics mechanics and servicers, the closest group, as not exposed with a score of 0.25. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 13 percent growth for medical equipment repairers from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 8,200 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed medical equipment repairers 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics Mechanics and Servicers | Not exposed | 0.25 |
The ILO scores groups of occupations, so this is the closest group for medical equipment repairers, not a score for the job title itself. The ILO index measures generative AI, not robots or automated machines.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Medical equipment repairers | Grow 13% | About 8,200 |
The BLS says repairers will be needed to fix and maintain equipment in healthcare facilities, and that with more chronic disease, demand for care and for the equipment used to diagnose, monitor and treat it will grow. It notes the work already includes loading software updates and patches and using test equipment software for calibration. Its outlook does not mention AI.
Where AI is helping
- Reading error logs and suggesting likely faults.
- Predicting which devices need service before they fail.
- Searching service manuals and recall notices.
- Drafting work orders and maintenance records.
What stays with medical equipment repairers
- Hands-on repair: replacing parts and fixing machines on the hospital floor.
- Calibration and testing: proving a device is safe before it goes back to patients.
- Working with clinicians: understanding the problem from the people using the device.
- Checking AI help: suggested fixes and manual lookups can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Devices are more networked and software driven, so updates, cybersecurity and remote diagnostics are part of the work alongside hands-on repair. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace industrial machinery mechanics?, will AI replace IT support? and will AI replace lab technicians?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for medical equipment repairers at $61,660 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: associate's degree. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace medical equipment repairers?
Not on current evidence. The closest ILO group is not exposed, and the BLS projects 13 percent growth from 2025 to 2035.
Why is medical equipment repair growing?
The BLS says more chronic disease will raise demand for care and for the equipment used to diagnose, monitor and treat it.
How many openings are expected?
The BLS projects about 8,200 openings a year.
What repair work stays human?
Hands-on repair, calibration and safety testing, working with clinicians and checking automated suggestions.