Job Exposure
Index

Home / All jobs / Production

AI exposure score

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers score 0 out of 100, which is low exposure to AI. That ranks #876 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 13 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 0 on its own and 0 more with extra software built on top of it. None of its tasks showed up in real AI use in April–May 2026.

0/ 100
Low
Rank
#876of 923 jobs
US workers
7,940BLS, May 2025
Median pay
$41,600a year
In real AI use
0 of 13tasks, April–May 2026

Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

  • AI can speed this up on its own: 0 (0%)
  • AI can speed this up with extra software: 0 (0%)
  • Little or no AI speed-up: 13 (100%)
  • Apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Examine finished surfaces of workpieces to verify conformance to specifications and retouch any defective areas.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Clean and maintain tools and equipment, using solvents, brushes, and rags.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Read job orders and inspect workpieces to determine work procedures and materials required.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Immerse workpieces into coating materials for specified times.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Select and mix ingredients to prepare coating substances according to specifications, using paddles or mechanical mixers.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Place coated workpieces in ovens or dryers for specified times to dry or harden finishes.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Clean surfaces of workpieces in preparation for coating, using cleaning fluids, solvents, brushes, scrapers, steam, sandpaper, or cloth.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Conceal blemishes in workpieces, such as nicks and dents, using fillers such as putty.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Melt or heat coating materials to specified temperatures.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Rinse, drain, or wipe coated workpieces to remove excess coating material or to facilitate setting of finish coats on workpieces.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Cut out sections in surfaces of materials to be inlaid with decorative pieces, using patterns and knives or scissors.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
  • Position and glue decorative pieces in cutout sections of workpieces, following patterns.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

Similar jobs, lower exposure

Related occupations that score at least 10 points lower.

This job is already among the least exposed in its field.

Other jobs in this field

Production occupations close to this one.

Questions about painting, coating, and decorating workers and AI

Will AI replace painting, coating, and decorating workers?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers score 0 out of 100 (low exposure), #876 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 0 of the job's 13 tasks, 0 of them on its own, while 13 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which painting, coating, and decorating workers tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes"; "Examine finished surfaces of workpieces to verify conformance to specifications and retouch any defective areas"; "Clean and maintain tools and equipment, using solvents, brushes, and rags".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Not much yet. None of the job's tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude in April–May 2026, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as painting, coating, and decorating workers, and what do they earn?

About 7,940 people in the US, with median pay of $41,600 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.

The weekly exposure report

Know what's changing before it reaches your job.

One short email a week: which jobs are most exposed, the research worth knowing about, and one practical step you can take.

Free · one email a week · unsubscribe anytime