Printing press operator
Sets up and runs printing machines, including digital, offset, and other types of presses.
Will AI replace printing press operator jobs?
AI changes jobs more often than it replaces them. How much AI can help with this work: Medium. More AI overlap than 40 in 100 jobs. AI helps with some tasks, like paperwork or first drafts. People still do the core of the job. 0% of this job’s working time is already spent on tasks people bring to AI at work (Anthropic Economic Index). Based on Microsoft research on real AI use at work, matched to the tasks of each job in O*NET.
What AI already helps with
- Enter job settings into computer terminals that control printing systems
- Keep time and production records
- Check supply levels regularly and order more as needed
What stays human
- Start presses and check proofs for ink coverage and alignment
- Adjust the flow rate of ink
- Feed paper through press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls
10-year outlook · USA
Expected change in the number of these jobs by 2035: -8.7%. Typical pay: $45,780 a year. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. German figures differ, but the direction is usually similar.
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