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How exposed to AI is a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer?

Of the 26 tasks O*NET lists for drywall and ceiling tile installers, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 25 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
Ceiling InstallerDry Wall InstallerDrywall FinisherDrywall HangerDrywall InstallerDrywall MechanicDrywallerExterior Interior SpecialistMetal FramerMetal Stud Framer
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
26
tasks rated for this occupation
5%
hold a degree, from a survey of 22
97k
people do this job in the US
33 of 61
least protected in construction

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
  • Coordinate work with drywall finishers who cover the seams between drywall panels

Cannot be sped up

25
  • Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements
  • Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and marking devices
  • Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws
  • Measure and cut openings in panels or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures, using keyhole saws or other cutting tools
  • Assemble or install metal framing or decorative trim for windows, doorways, or vents
  • Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools
  • Inspect furrings, mechanical mountings, or masonry surfaces for plumbness and level, using spirit or water levels
  • Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks
  • Cut and screw together metal channels to make floor or ceiling frames, according to plans for the location of rooms or hallways
  • Hang drywall panels on metal frameworks of walls and ceilings in offices, schools, or other large buildings, using lifts or hoists to adjust panel heights, when necessary
  • Trim rough edges from wallboard to maintain even joints, using knives
  • Suspend angle iron grids or channel irons from ceilings, using wire
  • Install horizontal and vertical metal or wooden studs to frames so that wallboard can be attached to interior walls
  • Scribe and cut edges of tile to fit walls where wall molding is not specified
  • Hang dry lines to wall moldings to guide positioning of main runners
  • Fasten metal or rockboard lath to the structural framework of walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings, using nails, screws, staples, or wire-ties
  • Install blanket insulation between studs and tack plastic moisture barriers over insulation
  • Seal joints between ceiling tiles and walls
  • Remove existing plaster, drywall, or paneling, using crowbars and hammers
  • Apply or mount acoustical tile or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings or walls of buildings to reduce reflection of sound or to decorate rooms
  • Mount tile, using adhesives, or by nailing, screwing, stapling, or wire-tying lath directly to structural frameworks
  • Nail channels or wood furring strips to surfaces to provide mounting for tile
  • Install metal lath where plaster applications will be exposed to weather or water, or for curved or irregular surfaces
  • Apply cement to backs of tiles and press tiles into place, aligning them with layout marks or joints of previously laid tile
  • Wash concrete surfaces before mounting tile to increase adhesive qualities of surfaces, using washing soda and zinc sulfate solution
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.