AI Automation Index

Will AI Replace Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers?

Task-level automation exposure for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers: 16 O*NET tasks scored against their work activities, plus the simulator.

E-E-A-T Verified

Developed & audited by Gini Loh

Automation Exposure

34% weighted task index

16 of 16 tasks scored

Median Salary

$60,070 / year

BLS OEWS, May 2025 — this exact occupation

Employment Level

Medium

86,340 people hold this job — size, not growth

Projected 2025–35

+6.8% employment change

8,500 openings a year · BLS line item

Pay by state

BLS OEWS publishes 53 state estimates for this occupation. Each is its own survey estimate, not the national median adjusted for local prices.

$29,280 – $79,870

Highest medians

Alaska $79,870

Massachusetts $78,530

Rhode Island $76,320

Oregon $75,710

Connecticut $75,410

Lowest medians

Puerto Rico $29,280

Guam $37,450

Mississippi $47,160

Nebraska $48,000

Oklahoma $48,240

State figures come from the 49-2098 row in the May 2025 state panel. States where the estimate was suppressed or too small to publish are absent.

What the score is made of

Each task is mapped to its work activities, scored for AI automation potential, and weighted by how important those activities are to the job. These are the components.

Automation potential 34%

Importance-weighted mean of the scored tasks. This is the headline index.

Physical work 48%

Share of weighted tasks in hands-on or machine-operating work activities.

Judgment & influence 12%

Share in analysis, decisions, teaching, directing, advising, or caring for others.

Routine administration 4%

Share in documenting, recording, and administrative activities.

Rewritten by O*NET 0%

Share of weighted tasks O*NET rewrote in a recent update. Reported, not folded into the score.

Consequence of error 43/100 Moderate

O*NET's own rating of how serious an uncorrectable mistake would be here — respondents, not us. Deliberately not in the index: the score measures what AI can do with the task content, and multiplying it by stakes would be our judgment dressed as data.

Constituent Task Mix

16 tasks for this occupation, weighted by work-activity importance. Shares below are of total task weight, not task count.

High exposure (≥ 60% of the task is automatable) 26%

5 tasks

Medium exposure (≥ 35%) 13%

2 tasks

Low exposure (below 35%) 62%

9 tasks

How would you survive?

Move your week away from the high-exposure tasks and toward the ones that need judgment. The simulator recalculates the index as you shift the mix.

Simulate Upskilling →

Constituent Tasks

#11761 · Core · 13% automatable

Install, maintain, or repair security systems, alarm devices, or related equipment, following blueprints of electrical layouts and building plans.

physical manipulation — Physical component-level repair work

Install electrical components, equipment, or systems. Repair electrical components.

#11760 · Core · 8% automatable

Mount and fasten control panels, door and window contacts, sensors, or video cameras, and attach electrical and telephone wiring to connect components.

physical manipulation — Electrical installation is hands-on licensed trade work

Install electrical components, equipment, or systems. Position equipment using hand tools, power tools, or heavy equipment.

#11767 · Core · 55% automatable

Demonstrate systems for customers and explain details, such as the causes and consequences of false alarms.

interpersonal — AI can script; live explanation and trust are human

Explain use of products or services.

#11765 · Core · 22% automatable

Test and repair circuits and sensors, following wiring and system specifications.

physical manipulation — Electrical probing and meter work by hand

Test electrical circuits or components for proper functioning. Repair electrical circuits or wiring.

#20799 · Core · 10% automatable

Feed cables through access holes, roof spaces, or cavity walls to reach fixture outlets, positioning and terminating cables, wires, or strapping.

physical manipulation — Laying cables requires physical routing work

Lay cables to connect equipment.

#11758 · Core · 20% automatable

Examine systems to locate problems, such as loose connections or broken insulation.

visual inspection — Locating electrical faults requires hands-on inspection

Inspect equipment to locate or identify electrical problems.

#20800 · Core · 20% automatable

Test backup batteries, keypad programming, sirens, or other security features to ensure proper functioning or to diagnose malfunctions.

visual inspection — Physical safety-equipment checks need hands-on presence

Inspect safety equipment to ensure proper functioning.

#11766 · Core · 12% automatable

Drill holes for wiring in wall studs, joists, ceilings, or floors.

physical manipulation — Drilling parts requires physical tool operation

Drill holes in parts, equipment, or materials.

#11763 · Core · 65% automatable

Inspect installation sites and study work orders, building plans, and installation manuals to determine materials requirements and installation procedures.

decision support — Procedure drafting aided; context-specific validation human

Determine types of equipment, tools, or materials needed for jobs. Plan work procedures.

#11768 · Core · 45% automatable

Consult with clients to assess risks and to determine security requirements.

interpersonal — Assessing customer problems needs live diagnostic dialogue

Confer with customers or users to assess problems.

#11770 · Core · 10% automatable

Mount raceways and conduits and fasten wires to wood framing, using staplers.

physical manipulation — Running wiring is hands-on installation

Run wiring to connect equipment.

#11764 · Core · 15% automatable

Adjust sensitivity of units, based on room structures and manufacturers' recommendations, using programming keypads.

physical manipulation — Hands-on equipment adjustment for performance

Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.

#11769 · Core · 80% automatable

Keep informed of new products and developments.

information retrieval — AI summarizes developments; human retains expertise

Maintain knowledge of current developments in area of expertise.

#11773 · Core · 75% automatable

Order replacement parts.

decision support — Ordering via systems automatable; human approves spend

Order materials, supplies, or equipment.

#11772 · Supplemental · 80% automatable

Prepare documents, such as invoices or warranties.

text generation — Document routine operational activities from inputs

Document operational activities.

#11771 · Supplemental · 70% automatable

Provide customers with cost estimates for equipment installation.

data analysis — Labor/material cost estimation from rates

Estimate costs for labor or materials.

Embed this calculator on your site ↓

Bloggers & authors: Embed this interactive calculator directly in your articles or comparison guides. It loads dynamically via a responsive iframe (auto-resizing to prevent double scrollbars) and provides a direct, high-value tool for your audience.

<div class="giniloh-calculator-embed" data-calculator="security-and-fire-alarm-systems-installers"></div>
<script src="https://giniloh.com/embed.js" async></script>

Community Sentiment

Do you agree?

Do you agree with the AI automation risk score calculated for this occupation?

Method

How this was scored

1. Tasks. O*NET task statements for this occupation, from a release whose newest record is dated 08/2026.
2. Work activities. Each task maps to 1–5 Detailed Work Activities; each activity belongs to one of 41 Generalized Work Activities that O*NET rates for importance (1–5) in this occupation.
3. Automation potential. Every work activity carries one score for how far current AI can perform it end-to-end. Tasks inherit the mean of their activities.
4. Weighting. Task weight = 0.35 + 0.65 × (importance − 1)/4, scaled by how often the task is performed and by 0.7 for Supplemental tasks. Importance is the task's own O*NET rating where it exists (18,369 of 18,838 tasks); the rest inherit their work activities' importance. The index is the weighted mean.

Check: across the 910 occupations where O*NET also rates how far machine speed sets the pace, this index moves opposite to it (Spearman ρ = -0.49). The more a job is paced by equipment, the less of its task content AI can address — the relationship you would expect if the scoring is working.

Sources · O*NET 31.0 (task records to 08/2026) · BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS projections 2025-2035 · rubric v2.1 · tasks for O*NET, not a forecast

See the full method →

Best AI Proof Jobs in a Changing Market

Worried robots are coming for your paycheck? You’re not alone—but the real story is far more hopeful. This guide cuts through the scare headlines to reveal exactly where smart, sustainable career opportunities exist right now. We’ve curated a list of true ai proof jobs—roles in healthcare, skilled trades, and cybersecurity that not only survive automation but thrive because of human judgment and empathy. You’ll get specific, money-making data on projected growth (the BLS says wind turbine technicians, for instance, will grow 44% by 2032), real salary ranges from active job listings, and a simple self-assessment quiz to identify your own most resilient path. Plus, we name companies hiring today and the niche job boards they use. Stop worrying and start planning—your secure career is closer than you think.

Read Article ->