Controlling Machines and Processes
How controlling machines and processes are reshaped as AGI capability advances.
The bottom line
Only about 13% of Controlling Machines and Processes is information work today — the rest is physical, and moves slowly. The exposure is concentrated in the back office: the books, the paperwork, the scheduling, the marketing.
Why: The work activity 'Controlling Machines and Processes' is overwhelmingly physical, explicitly excluding computers. The reverse grounding distribution reveals all known top-scoring occupations fall into the physical band (8 physical, 0 hybrid, 0 digital), with a weight-weighted mean of 0.13. Top roles include Grinding and Polishing Workers (0.05), Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters (0.15), and Machinists (0.25), all of which require hands-on manipulation and equipment operation.
grounded in the economy graph · digital scalar 0.13 · physical
The problems this exposes
Node-intrinsic problems read straight off the graph (exposesProblem) — the evergreen wedges a builder could take into this space.
- Excessive Energy Consumption
- Excessive Machine Energy Consumption
- Hazardous Operation Safety Incidents
- Incomplete Manual Shift Logs
- Operator Training Bottlenecks
- Premature Equipment Wear Costs
- Process Control Scrap
- Skilled Operator Attrition
- Skilled Operator Talent Shortage
- Slow Physical Machine Changeovers
+5 more problems on the graph
Browse within Controlling Machines and Processes
- Operate agricultural or forestry equipment.4 →
- Operate audiovisual or related equipment.6 →
- Operate communications equipment or systems.17 →
- Operate construction or excavation equipment.8 →
- Operate cutting or grinding equipment.4 →
- Operate energy production or distribution equipment.6 →
- Operate industrial processing or production equipment.13 →
- Operate laboratory or field equipment.9 →
- Operate lifting or moving equipment.3 →
- Operate medical equipment.7 →
- Operate office equipment.17 →
- Operate pumping systems or equipment.11 →
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Problems
- Yield Loss From Calibration Driftops
- Skilled Operator Talent Shortagetalent
- Premature Equipment Wear Costscapital
- Hazardous Operation Safety Incidentscompliance
- Wasted Physical Feedstock Materialssupply-chain
- Slow Physical Machine Changeoverscompetitive
- Excessive Machine Energy Consumptioncapital
- Incomplete Manual Shift Logsops
Opportunities
- Calibration Tuning EngineHeadless SaaS
- Process Control AgentAgent
- Shift Reporting as a ServiceService-as-Software
- Headless Energy DispatchHeadless SaaS
- Feedstock Yield AgentAgent