AI exposure Construction and extraction
Will AI replace insulation workers?
Insulation Workers, Mechanical. US occupation 47-2132.
The reading
4.4%
of the time insulation workers spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of insulation workers' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.
Ranked 263 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 64% of them.Further along than 64% of them.
Per cent of working time Square-law scale
Average US job 7.7%
Around the middle of the pack.Keeping pace with the average job.
What AI already does for insulation workersWhat insulation workers no longer do alone
O*NET lists 9 tasks for insulation workers. AI use at work shows up in 1 of them. Each score runs from 0.5, where every observed use helps a person with the task, to 1, where every use does the task outright.
- Read blueprints and specifications to determine job requirements.Core task mostly automated 0.97
What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human
8 of the 9 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.
- Apply, remove, and repair insulation on industrial equipment, pipes, ductwork, or other mechanical systems such as heat exchangers, tanks, and vessels, to help control noise and maintain temperatures.Core task
- Cover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement, or asphalt mastic.Core task
- Determine the amounts and types of insulation needed, and methods of installation, based on factors such as location, surface shape, and equipment use.Core task
- Fit insulation around obstructions, and shape insulating materials and protective coverings as required.Core task
- Install sheet metal around insulated pipes with screws to protect the insulation from weather conditions or physical damage.Core task
- Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, knives, and scissors.Core task
Show the other 2
- Prepare surfaces for insulation application by brushing or spreading on adhesives, cement, or asphalt, or by attaching metal pins to surfaces.Core task
- Select appropriate insulation, such as fiberglass, Styrofoam, or cork, based on the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material.Core task
How that compares
Among the 56 construction and extraction occupations, insulation workers rank 3. The group averages 0.4%, and its most exposed job is Structural Iron and Steel Workers at 4.9%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.
Level with 4.4%
- 263Commercial and Industrial Designers 4.4%
- 263First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services 4.4%
- 263First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers 4.4%
Just below
What this does and does not mean
Exposure is observed use, not a forecast. Anthropic maps work conversations with Claude onto the tasks O*NET lists for each job and asks, of the tasks AI could speed up, which are actually being used for at work. A use that does the task outright counts in full and a use that assists a person counts half. The task scores are averaged into the occupation figure by the share of time spent on each task.
A high figure means AI is already part of how this work gets done. It does not mean anyone has been replaced. Anthropic's own reading of the labour market finds no systematic rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting exposed jobs.No measurable rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting these jobs. Gap years for everyone. Labor market impacts, 5 March 2026.
Task list and titles from O*NET 31.0 by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Scores from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Checked 1 November 2026. How the ranking works.