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How exposed to AI is a Taper?

Of the 16 tasks O*NET lists for tapers, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 16 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
Drywall FinisherDrywall MechanicDrywall TaperFinisherTaper
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
16
tasks rated for this occupation
0%
hold a degree, from a survey of 21
15k
people do this job in the US
61 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.

Cannot be sped up

16
  • Spread sealing compound between boards or panels or over cracks, holes, nail heads, or screw heads, using trowels, broadknives, or spatulas
  • Press paper tape over joints to embed tape into sealing compound and to seal joints
  • Apply additional coats to fill in holes and make surfaces smooth
  • Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surfaces for painting or papering
  • Spread and smooth cementing material over tape, using trowels or floating machines to blend joints with wall surfaces
  • Sand or patch nicks or cracks in plasterboard or wallboard
  • Mix sealing compounds by hand or with portable electric mixers
  • Work on high ceilings, using scaffolding or other tools, such as stilts
  • Select the correct sealing compound or tape
  • Countersink nails or screws below surfaces of walls before applying sealing compounds, using hammers or screwdrivers
  • Remove extra compound after surfaces have been covered sufficiently
  • Install metal molding at wall corners to secure wallboard
  • Apply texturizing compounds or primers to walls or ceilings before final finishing, using trowels, brushes, rollers, or spray guns
  • Check adhesives to ensure that they will work and will remain durable
  • Sand rough spots of dried cement between applications of compounds
  • Use mechanical applicators that spread compounds and embed tape in one operation
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.