Program equipment to perform production tasks.

Program equipment to perform production tasks. is a detailed work activity in O*NET — a concrete unit of work shared across 15 occupations and seen in 23 occupation-specific tasks. It rolls up into the broader work activity Program computer systems or production equipment. in Working with Computers .

Detailed work activities are the most granular shared layer in O*NET's work-activity hierarchy (Generalized → Intermediate → Detailed → occupation-specific task). The figures below describe how this activity shows up across the economy and what independent studies measure about AI and this kind of work — not a prediction that the work will be automated.

AI exposure

Of the 22 tasks under this activity that the OpenAI / Eloundou “GPTs are GPTs” study rated, 20 (91%) are flagged as directly exposed to language models (E1) or exposed via model-powered tools (E2).

The Anthropic Economic Index observes real AI use on 10 of these tasks, with a mean mapped-usage share of 0.116% per task.

Exposure estimates overlap with model capabilities — whether a model could speed the task up — not whether the work will be done by software. Observed AI use is augmentation and assistance today, not jobs replaced.

Member tasks

Occupation-specific tasks O*NET maps to this detailed work activity, most important first.

• Set up and operate computer-controlled machines or robots to perform one or more machine functions on metal or plastic workpieces. · Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators · importance 4.7 · no direct exposure
• Enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced. · Prepress Technicians and Workers · importance 4.6 · exposure with tools
• Input specifications into computers to assist with pattern design and pattern cutting. · Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers · importance 4.6 · direct LLM exposure
• Program computerized numerical control machine tools. · Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic · importance 4.6 · direct LLM exposure
• Implement changes to machine programs, and enter new specifications, using computers. · Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators · importance 4.5 · direct LLM exposure
• Program computers or electronic instruments, such as numerically controlled machine tools. · Machinists · importance 4.5 · direct LLM exposure
• Program electronic equipment. · Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · importance 4.4 · direct LLM exposure
• Write programs in the language of a machine's controller and store programs on media, such as punch tapes, magnetic tapes, or disks. · Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers · importance 4.4 · direct LLM exposure
• Adjust digital files to alter print elements, such as fonts, graphics, or color separations. · Printing Press Operators · importance 4.3 · exposure with tools
• Modify cutting programs to account for problems encountered during operation, and save modified programs. · Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators · importance 4.3 · direct LLM exposure
• Program computer numerical control (CNC) machines to fabricate model parts. · Model Makers, Metal and Plastic · importance 4.3 · direct LLM exposure
• Program electronic equipment. · Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · importance 4.2 · direct LLM exposure
• Write simple programs for computer-controlled machine tools. · Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators · importance 4.2 · direct LLM exposure
• Revise programs or tapes to eliminate errors, and retest programs to check that problems have been solved. · Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers · importance 4.2 · direct LLM exposure
• Set up future jobs while machines are operating. · Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators · importance 4.1 · no direct exposure
• Modify existing programs to enhance efficiency. · Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers · importance 4.1 · direct LLM exposure
• Use computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software or hardware to fabricate model parts. · Model Makers, Metal and Plastic · importance 3.8 · direct LLM exposure
• Set up, program, or control computer-aided design (CAD) or computer numerical control (CNC) machines. · Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing · importance 3.8 · direct LLM exposure
• Write programs for computer numerical control (CNC) machines to cut metal and plastic materials. · Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · importance 3.7 · direct LLM exposure
• Write instruction sheets and cutter lists for a machine's controller to guide setup and encode numerical control tapes. · Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers · importance 3.5 · direct LLM exposure
• Program computers to operate machinery. · Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters · importance 3.4 · direct LLM exposure
• Program computer numerical control machines. · 51-4034.00
• Program lighting consoles or load automated lighting control systems onto consoles. · Lighting Technicians · direct LLM exposure

Occupations that perform this

• Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
• Prepress Technicians and Workers
• Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
• Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
• Machinists
• Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers
• Printing Press Operators
• Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
• Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
• Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
• Lighting Technicians
• 51-4034.00

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

• O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
• Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

@misc{singulariki-program-equipment-to-perform-production-tasks,
  title  = {Program equipment to perform production tasks.},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/detailed-activities/program-equipment-to-perform-production-tasks}
}