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How exposed to AI is a Museum Technicians and Conservator?

Of the 26 tasks O*NET lists for museum technicians and conservators, 3 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 15 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
Art PreparatorConservation TechnicianConservatorExhibit TechnicianMuseum RegistrarMuseum TechnicianObjects ConservatorPaintings ConservatorPaper ConservatorPreparator
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
26
tasks rated for this occupation
71%
hold a degree, from a survey of 25
11k
people do this job in the US
58 of 62
least protected in education

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

3
  • Recommend preservation procedures, such as control of temperature and humidity, to curatorial and building staff
  • Classify and assign registration numbers to artifacts and supervise inventory control
  • Estimate cost of restoration work

Only with software built on top

8
  • Photograph objects for documentation
  • Enter information about museum collections into computer databases
  • Study object documentation or conduct standard chemical and physical tests to ascertain the object's age, composition, original appearance, need for treatment or restoration, and appropriate preservation method
  • Prepare reports on the operation of conservation laboratories, documenting the condition of artifacts, treatment options, and the methods of preservation and repair used
  • Specialize in particular materials or types of object, such as documents and books, paintings, decorative arts, textiles, metals, or architectural materials
  • Perform tests and examinations to establish storage and conservation requirements, policies, and procedures
  • Coordinate exhibit installations, assisting with design, constructing displays, dioramas, display cases, and models, and ensuring the availability of necessary materials
  • Plan and conduct research to develop and improve methods of restoring and preserving specimens

Cannot be sped up

15
  • Install, arrange, assemble, and prepare artifacts for exhibition, ensuring the artifacts' safety, reporting their status and condition, and identifying and correcting any problems with the set up
  • Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration
  • Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes
  • Determine whether objects need repair and choose the safest and most effective method of repair
  • Prepare artifacts for storage and shipping
  • Notify superior when restoration of artifacts requires outside experts
  • Supervise and work with volunteers
  • Perform on-site field work which may involve interviewing people, inspecting and identifying artifacts, note-taking, viewing sites and collections, and repainting exhibition spaces
  • Lead tours and teach educational courses to students and the general public
  • Direct and supervise curatorial, technical, and student staff in the handling, mounting, care, and storage of art objects
  • Construct skeletal mounts of fossils, replicas of archaeological artifacts, or duplicate specimens, using a variety of materials and hand tools
  • Preserve or direct preservation of objects, using plaster, resin, sealants, hardeners, and shellac
  • Deliver artwork on courier trips
  • Build, repair, and install wooden steps, scaffolds, and walkways to gain access to or permit improved view of exhibited equipment
  • Cut and weld metal sections in reconstruction or renovation of exterior structural sections and accessories of exhibits
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.