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AI exposure Construction and extraction

Will AI replace pipelayers?

Pipelayers. US occupation 47-2151.

0.0%

of the time pipelayers spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of pipelayers' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.

Ranked 346 of 756 US occupations. No AI use seen in the work yet, along with 410 other occupations.No handover started yet, along with 410 other occupations.

Average US job 7.7%

Among the least exposed jobs there are.Still waiting for liberation.

What AI already does for pipelayersWhat pipelayers no longer do alone

O*NET lists 14 tasks for pipelayers. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

14 of the 14 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Align and position pipes to prepare them for welding or sealing.Core task
  • Check slopes for conformance to requirements, using levels or lasers.Core task
  • Connect pipe pieces and seal joints, using welding equipment, cement, or glue.Core task
  • Cover pipes with earth or other materials.Core task
  • Cut pipes to required lengths.Core task
  • Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.Core task
Show the other 8
  • Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.Core task
  • Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.Core task
  • Install or use instruments such as lasers, grade rods, or transit levels.Core task
  • Lay out pipe routes, following written instructions or blueprints and coordinating layouts with supervisors.Core task
  • Locate existing pipes needing repair or replacement, using magnetic or radio indicators.Core task
  • Operate mechanized equipment, such as pickup trucks, rollers, tandem dump trucks, front-end loaders, or backhoes.Core task
  • Tap and drill holes into pipes to introduce auxiliary lines or devices.Core task
  • Train or supervise others in laying pipe.Core task

How that compares

Among the 56 construction and extraction occupations, pipelayers rank 41. 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%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Physician Assistants 0.0%
  2. 346Physics Teachers, Postsecondary 0.0%
  3. 346Pile Driver Operators 0.0%

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.