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AI exposure Construction and extraction

Will AI replace tile and stone setters?

Tile and Stone Setters. US occupation 47-2044.

0.0%

of the time tile and stone setters spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of tile and stone setters' 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 tile and stone settersWhat tile and stone setters no longer do alone

O*NET lists 25 tasks for tile and stone setters. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

25 of the 25 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Align and straighten tile using levels, squares, and straightedges.Core task
  • Apply a sealer to make grout stain- and water-resistant.Core task
  • Apply mortar to tile back, position the tile, and press or tap with trowel handle to affix tile to base.Core task
  • Cut and shape tile to fit around obstacles and into odd spaces and corners, using hand and power cutting tools.Core task
  • Cut tile backing to required size, using shears.Core task
  • Cut, surface, polish, and install marble and granite or install pre-cast terrazzo, granite or marble units.Core task
Show the other 19
  • Determine and implement the best layout to achieve a desired pattern.Core task
  • Finish and dress the joints and wipe excess grout from between tiles, using damp sponge.Core task
  • Install and anchor fixtures in designated positions, using hand tools.Core task
  • Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural, and floor designs.Core task
  • Level concrete and allow to dry.Core task
  • Measure and cut metal lath to size for walls and ceilings, using tin snips.Core task
  • Measure and mark surfaces to be tiled, following blueprints.Core task
  • Mix and apply mortar or cement to edges and ends of drain tiles to seal halves and joints.Core task
  • Mix, apply, and spread plaster, concrete, mortar, cement, mastic, glue or other adhesives to form a bed for the tiles, using brush, trowel and screed.Core task
  • Prepare surfaces for tiling by attaching lath or waterproof paper, or by applying a cement mortar coat to a metal screen.Core task
  • Remove and replace cracked or damaged tile.Core task
  • Remove any old tile, grout and adhesive using chisels and scrapers and clean the surface carefully.Core task
  • Study blueprints and examine surface to be covered to determine amount of material needed.Core task
  • Assist customers in selection of tile and grout.
  • Brush glue onto manila paper on which design has been drawn and position tiles, finished side down, onto paper.
  • Build underbeds and install anchor bolts, wires, and brackets.
  • Prepare cost and labor estimates, based on calculations of time and materials needed for project.
  • Select and order tile and other items to be installed, such as bathroom accessories, walls, panels, and cabinets, according to specifications.
  • Spread mastic or other adhesive base on roof deck to form base for promenade tile, using serrated spreader.

How that compares

Among the 56 construction and extraction occupations, tile and stone setters rank 56. 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. 346Telephone Operators 0.0%
  2. 346Terrazzo Workers and Finishers 0.0%
  3. 346Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 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.