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AI Job Risk

Occupation baseline · Research consensus

Will AI replace Construction Laborers?

Lower risk

Baseline AI displacement risk for Construction Laborers, aggregated from 10 research sources.

What this score means

Construction Laborers is among the least exposed roles in Construction & Trades. Most of what the job involves still sits outside what current AI can do, even as the tools around it keep changing. At 11 out of 100 it sits close to the Construction & Trades average of 13. Across the 10 sources behind this baseline, individual estimates run from 5 to 24, so the score is a weighted consensus rather than any single figure.

The number is a consensus estimate for the typical version of the role, built from published academic and industry research scored occupation by occupation. It is not a prediction about any individual. How scoring works

What this job actually involves

Exposure follows the work itself rather than the job title, so it is worth seeing what the role is made of. These are the tasks O*NET records for Construction Laborers, most central first, showing 12 of 27.

  • 01Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
  • 02Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.
  • 03Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.
  • 04Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.
  • 05Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.
  • 06Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards.
  • 07Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes.
  • 08Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications.
  • 09Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes.
  • 10Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse, or installing erosion or sedimentation control mechanisms.
  • 11Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones.
  • 12Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment.

Task statements from O*NET by the National Center for O*NET Development, used under CC BY 4.0. The tasks are descriptive; the exposure score above is ours.

The research behind this score

This baseline aggregates 10 research sources that scored Construction Laborers for AI and automation exposure. More recent, higher confidence studies carry more weight in the final number.

Common questions

How likely is AI to replace Construction Laborers?
Published research puts Construction Laborers at 11 out of 100 for AI displacement risk, in the lower risk band. The number is a weighted consensus of 10 research sources and describes the typical version of the role, not any individual.
Do researchers agree on the risk for Construction Laborers?
Broadly, yes. Individual estimates for Construction Laborers run from 5 to 24 out of 100 across the 10 sources behind this score, a fairly tight range. More recent and higher confidence studies carry more weight in the final number.
Which construction & trades roles face similar AI exposure?
The closest published construction & trades roles to Construction Laborers by score are Boilermakers (11/100), Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas (11/100), and Helpers--Extraction Workers (11/100). Each has its own page with the research behind its number.

Also covers

Air Breaker Operator · Air Drill Operator · Air Gun Operator · Air Hammer Operator · Air Tool Operator · Aluminum Pool Installer · Asbestos Removal Worker · Asphalt Distributor Tender and related titles

Estimated displacement window

The dated estimate for this role is included in the full personalised report.

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Informational guidance based on published research, not professional career or financial advice. Scores update as new research is ingested.