People Team AI Ask about a date

How exposed to AI is a Painters, Construction and Maintenance?

Of the 19 tasks O*NET lists for painters, construction and maintenance, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 18 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
Building Trades PainterCommercial PainterFacilities PainterHighway PainterHouse PainterIndustrial PainterMaintenance PainterPainterProfessional PainterTexturer
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
19
tasks rated for this occupation
2%
hold a degree, from a survey of only 18
214k
people do this job in the US
31 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
  • Calculate amounts of required materials and estimate costs, based on surface measurements or work orders

Cannot be sped up

18
  • Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives
  • Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting
  • Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines
  • Read work orders or receive instructions from supervisors or homeowners to determine work requirements
  • Apply primers or sealers to prepare new surfaces, such as bare wood or metal, for finish coats
  • Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers
  • Erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above ground level
  • Mix and match colors of paint, stain, or varnish with oil or thinning and drying additives to obtain desired colors and consistencies
  • Polish final coats to specified finishes
  • Wash and treat surfaces with oil, turpentine, mildew remover, or other preparations, and sand rough spots to ensure that finishes will adhere properly
  • Select and purchase tools or finishes for surfaces to be covered, considering durability, ease of handling, methods of application, and customers' wishes
  • Remove old finishes by stripping, sanding, wire brushing, burning, or using water or abrasive blasting
  • Remove fixtures such as pictures, door knobs, lamps, or electric switch covers prior to painting
  • Use special finishing techniques such as sponging, ragging, layering, or faux finishing
  • Cut stencils and brush or spray lettering or decorations on surfaces
  • Waterproof buildings, using waterproofers or caulking
  • Spray or brush hot plastics or pitch onto surfaces
  • Bake finishes on painted or enameled articles, using baking ovens
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.