There is a lot of noise right now about Artificial Intelligence taking over jobs. If you spend your days tuning engines, repairing transmissions, or applying ceramic coatings, it is easy to assume these conversations happen in a different world—the world of office workers and programmers.
However, a major new research paper released yesterday by Anthropic (the company behind the AI model Claude) provides the clearest picture yet of how AI is actually seeping into the workforce. And while the study confirms that desk jobs are currently in the crosshairs, it also gives us a perfect lens to look at the automotive industry.
At Vicrez, we focus on the tools and parts that help you build the best machines. Today, we are looking at the tool that might change how you run your business.
The “Observed Exposure” of Auto Shops
The study introduces a concept called “observed exposure” —basically, it measures not just what AI could do in a lab, but what it is actually doing in the real world based on usage data.
Here is the good news for the automotive aftermarket: The garage floor is still a fortress.
According to the data, jobs with zero AI exposure—meaning AI simply isn’t being used to do those tasks yet—include:
- Cooks (irrelevant to us)
- Lifeguards (also irrelevant)
- Motorcycle Mechanics (Very relevant!)
- Dishwashers (irrelevant)
- Dressing Room Attendants (irrelevant)
If you are a mechanic, you are currently in the “zero exposure” category.
Why? Because AI cannot turn a wrench. It cannot diagnose a knock in an engine by feel, align a chassis, or install a body kit. These are physical, tactile tasks that remain “beyond AI’s reach,” as the study puts it.
The Office vs. The Shop
The research highlights a massive divide. The most exposed roles are Computer Programmers (75% coverage) , Customer Service Reps, and Data Entry Keyers.
But here is where it gets interesting for your shop: Customer Service Representatives are highly exposed. That means the person answering the phone, scheduling appointments, and ordering parts might soon have their workflow completely changed by AI.
What This Means for Vicrez Drivers
So, how should a custom shop owner, a detailer, or a performance tuner use this information? We see three key takeaways:
1. The Physical Premium
The study confirms that physical work is your shield. As the researchers note, there is a “large uncovered area” including “physical agricultural work like pruning trees and operating farm machinery.” Swap that tractor for a lift, and the logic holds. The demand for human hands that can make a car look aggressive or handle boost pressure will remain high.
2. The “Younger Worker” Warning
The study found suggestive evidence that hiring of younger workers has slowed in exposed occupations. If you are a young mechanic trying to get into a shop, this might not apply to you directly yet. However, it suggests that the entry-level paths in other industries are shrinking. That might actually be good news for the trades—more young people may look at the garage as a stable, AI-proof career.
3. The “Boring” Tasks Will Get Easier
Just because you are “unexposed” doesn’t mean AI won’t affect you. The AI that is replacing programmers can also be used to write inventory lists, generate social media posts for your shop, or manage customer follow-up emails. Let AI handle the “office work” so you can spend more time in the garage.
The Bottom Line
The Anthropic study suggests we are far from a robot takeover of the automotive industry. For now, the skill of diagnosing a misfire or perfectly cutting vinyl wrap is safer than writing computer code.
However, the business of running a shop is changing. The most successful garages will be those that use AI to handle the administrative load while the technicians keep doing what they do best: building machines.
What do you think? Are you using AI tools to help run your shop, or do you keep it strictly analog? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Anthropic Economic Research, “Labor market impacts of AI: A new measure and early evidence,” March 5, 2026.
