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AI exposure Construction and extraction

Will AI replace tapers?

Tapers. US occupation 47-2082.

0.0%

of the time tapers spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of tapers' 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 tapersWhat tapers no longer do alone

O*NET lists 16 tasks for tapers. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

16 of the 16 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Apply additional coats to fill in holes and make surfaces smooth.Core task
  • Apply texturizing compounds or primers to walls or ceilings before final finishing, using trowels, brushes, rollers, or spray guns.Core task
  • Check adhesives to ensure that they will work and will remain durable.Core task
  • Countersink nails or screws below surfaces of walls before applying sealing compounds, using hammers or screwdrivers.Core task
  • Install metal molding at wall corners to secure wallboard.Core task
  • Mix sealing compounds by hand or with portable electric mixers.Core task
Show the other 10
  • Press paper tape over joints to embed tape into sealing compound and to seal joints.Core task
  • Remove extra compound after surfaces have been covered sufficiently.Core task
  • Sand or patch nicks or cracks in plasterboard or wallboard.Core task
  • Sand rough spots of dried cement between applications of compounds.Core task
  • Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surfaces for painting or papering.Core task
  • Select the correct sealing compound or tape.Core task
  • Spread and smooth cementing material over tape, using trowels or floating machines to blend joints with wall surfaces.Core task
  • Spread sealing compound between boards or panels or over cracks, holes, nail heads, or screw heads, using trowels, broadknives, or spatulas.Core task
  • Use mechanical applicators that spread compounds and embed tape in one operation.Core task
  • Work on high ceilings, using scaffolding or other tools, such as stilts.Core task

How that compares

Among the 56 construction and extraction occupations, tapers rank 54. 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. 346Surgical Technologists 0.0%
  2. 346Surveying and Mapping Technicians 0.0%
  3. 346Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders 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.