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How exposed to AI is a Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender?

Of the 30 tasks O*NET lists for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 29 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
Automotive Painter (Auto Painter)Automotive Refinish Technician (Auto Refinish Tech)Coater OperatorHand SprayerIndustrial PainterPaint Technician (Paint Tech)PainterPowder CoaterSpray PainterTop Coater
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
30
tasks rated for this occupation
0%
hold a degree, from a survey of 40
145k
people do this job in the US
94 of 107
least protected in production

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.

Only with software built on top

1
  • Record operational data on specified forms

Cannot be sped up

29
  • Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner
  • Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles
  • Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings
  • Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes
  • Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths
  • Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails
  • Clean equipment and work areas
  • Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams
  • Start and stop operation of machines, using levers or buttons
  • Determine paint flow, viscosity, and coating quality by performing visual inspections, or by using viscometers
  • Attach hoses or nozzles to machines, using wrenches and pliers, and make adjustments to obtain the proper dispersion of spray
  • Turn dials, handwheels, valves, or switches to regulate conveyor speeds, machine temperature, air pressure and circulation, and the flow or spray of coatings or paints
  • Observe machine gauges and equipment operation to detect defects or deviations from standards, and make adjustments as necessary
  • Examine, measure, weigh, or test sample products to ensure conformance to specifications
  • Buff and wax the finished paintwork
  • Use brush to hand-paint areas in need of retouching or unreachable with a spray gun
  • Thread or feed items or products through or around machine rollers and dryers
  • Weigh or measure chemicals, coatings, or paints before adding them to machines
  • Operate auxiliary machines or equipment used in coating or painting processes
  • Remove materials, parts, or workpieces from painting or coating machines, using hand tools
  • Operate lifting or moving devices to move equipment or materials to access areas to be painted
  • Prepare and apply stencils, computer-generated decals, or other decorative items to finished products
  • Set up portable equipment, such as ventilators, exhaust units, ladders, or scaffolding
  • Adjust controls on infrared ovens, heat lamps, portable ventilators, or exhaust units to speed the drying of surfaces between coats
  • Apply primer over any repairs made to surfaces
  • Fill small dents or scratches with body fillers and smooth surfaces to prepare for painting
  • Mix paints to match color specifications or original colors, stirring or thinning paints, using spatulas or power mixing equipment
  • Remove grease, dirt, paint, or rust from surfaces in preparation for paint application, using abrasives, solvents, brushes, blowtorches, washing tanks, or sandblasters
  • Sand and apply sealer to properly dried finish
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.