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How exposed to AI is a Architectural and Civil Drafter?

Of the 28 tasks O*NET lists for architectural and civil drafters, 5 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 4 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Architectural DesignerArchitectural DrafterArchitectural DraftsmanCivil DrafterComputer-Aided Design Designer (CAD Designer)Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Drafter (CADD Drafter)Computer-Aided Drafting Designer (CAD Designer)Drafting TechnicianDraftsmanDraftsperson
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
28
tasks rated for this occupation
101k
people do this job in the US
5 of 56
least protected in architecture and engineering

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

5
  • Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs
  • Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to lists of materials
  • Determine procedures and instructions to be followed, according to design specifications and quantity of required materials
  • Locate and identify symbols on topographical surveys to denote geological and geophysical formations or oil field installations
  • Prepare cost estimates, contracts, bidding documents, and technical reports for specific projects under an architect's or engineer's supervision

Only with software built on top

19
  • Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices
  • Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes
  • Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans
  • Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures
  • Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software
  • Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing
  • Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods
  • Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data
  • Correlate, interpret, and modify data obtained from topographical surveys, well logs, and geophysical prospecting reports
  • Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary
  • Determine quality, cost, strength, and quantity of required materials, and enter figures on materials lists
  • Create freehand drawings and lettering to accompany drawings
  • Calculate excavation tonnage and prepare graphs and fill-hauling diagrams for use in earth-moving operations
  • Prepare colored drawings of landscape and interior designs for presentation to client
  • Calculate weights, volumes, and stress factors and their implications for technical aspects of designs
  • Plot characteristics of boreholes for oil and gas wells from photographic subsurface survey recordings and other data, representing depth, degree, and direction of inclination
  • Reproduce drawings on copy machines or trace copies of plans and drawings, using transparent paper or cloth, ink, pencil, and standard drafting instruments
  • Calculate heat loss and gain of buildings and structures to determine required equipment specifications, following standard procedures
  • Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data to ensure that they conform to design concepts

Cannot be sped up

4
  • Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters
  • Supervise or conduct field surveys, inspections, or technical investigations to obtain data required to revise construction drawings
  • Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary
  • Represent architect or engineer on construction site, ensuring builder compliance with design specifications and advising on design corrections, under supervision
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.