Time left: 6 years and 7 months · Group: Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
The official job description
Use axes or chainsaws to fell trees using knowledge of tree characteristics and cutting techniques to control direction of fall and minimize tree damage.
Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0.
What fallers do all day (for now)
Stop saw engines, pull cutting bars from cuts, and run to safety as tree falls.
Appraise trees for certain characteristics, such as twist, rot, and heavy limb growth, and gauge amount and direction of lean, to determine how to control the direction of a tree's fall with the least damage.
Saw back-cuts, leaving sufficient sound wood to control direction of fall.
Clear brush from work areas and escape routes, and cut saplings and other trees from direction of falls, using axes, chainsaws, or bulldozers.
Measure felled trees and cut them into specified log lengths, using chain saws and axes.
Assess logs after cutting to ensure that the quality and length are correct.
Oh hell yes. And sooner than you think. By my count you have 6 years and 7 months left, and the countdown only goes one way.
How long until AI replaces fallers?
6 years and 7 months. I'd start updating that CV, but I can also do that for you.
Which fallers tasks will AI take first?
The ones that already happen on a screen, starting with: stop saw engines, pull cutting bars from cuts, and run to safety as tree falls. The rest follows.