Occupation baseline · Research consensus

Will AI replace Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers?

Lower risk

Baseline AI displacement risk for Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, aggregated from 3 research sources.

What this score means

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers 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 scores 3 points below the Construction & Trades average of 14. Across the 3 sources behind this baseline, individual estimates run from 5 to 20, 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 Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, most central first, showing 12 of 26.

01Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements.
02Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and marking devices.
03Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws.
04Measure and cut openings in panels or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures, using keyhole saws or other cutting tools.
05Assemble or install metal framing or decorative trim for windows, doorways, or vents.
06Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools.
07Inspect furrings, mechanical mountings, or masonry surfaces for plumbness and level, using spirit or water levels.
08Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks.
09Cut and screw together metal channels to make floor or ceiling frames, according to plans for the location of rooms or hallways.
10Hang drywall panels on metal frameworks of walls and ceilings in offices, schools, or other large buildings, using lifts or hoists to adjust panel heights, when necessary.
11Trim rough edges from wallboard to maintain even joints, using knives.
12Suspend angle iron grids or channel irons from ceilings, using wire.

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 3 research sources that scored Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers for AI and automation exposure. More recent, higher confidence studies carry more weight in the final number.

01Anthropic Economic Index 2026 - AI Task Exposure · 2026
02GPTs are GPTs: Labor Market Impact Potential of LLMs · 2024
03AI Occupational Exposure to Language Modeling · 2023

Also covers

Acoustical Carpenter · Acoustical Ceiling Installer · Acoustical Consultant · Acoustical Installer · Acoustical Specialist · Ceiling Installer · Dry Wall Installer · Drywall Application Specialist 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.