Job Check
Carpenters
Construct, erect, install, or repair structures and fixtures made of wood and comparable materials, such as concrete forms; building frameworks, including partitions, joists, studding, and rafters; and wood stairways, window and door frames, and hardwood floors. May also install cabinets, siding, drywall, and batt or roll insulation. Includes brattice builders who build doors or brattices (ventilation walls or partitions) in underground passageways.
10 main tasks · most important first
Your main tasks and AI
Importance- 01Measure and mark cutting lines on materials, using a ruler, pencil, chalk, and marking gauge.Mostly human for now
- 02Follow established safety rules and regulations and maintain a safe and clean environment.Mostly human for now
- 03Shape or cut materials to specified measurements, using hand tools, machines, or power saws.Mostly human for now
- 04Select and order lumber or other required materials.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 05Install structures or fixtures, such as windows, frames, floorings, trim, or hardware, using carpenters' hand or power tools.Mostly human for now
- 06Verify trueness of structure, using plumb bob and level.Mostly human for now
- 07Arrange for subcontractors to deal with special areas, such as heating or electrical wiring work.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
- 08Build or repair cabinets, doors, frameworks, floors, or other wooden fixtures used in buildings, using woodworking machines, carpenter's hand tools, or power tools.Mostly human for now
- 09Remove damaged or defective parts or sections of structures and repair or replace, using hand tools.Mostly human for now
- 10Install rough door and window frames, subflooring, fixtures, or temporary supports in structures undergoing construction or repair.Mostly human for now
Tasks from O*NET® 31.0 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0, changed by us), most important first. “Already use” comes from Anthropic’s data on real work chats with Claude; “could speed up” from task ratings made with GPT-4 in 2023.
Four studies, side by side
None is a forecast of job lossToo little dataNot enough work use was seen to measure. This does not mean the job is safe from AI.Anthropic, 2026
14%of this job’s tasks an AI model could do in half the time, counting tasks that need extra tools as half (rated in 2023).Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, 2023
Above 13% of jobsin how often and how well AI helped with this job’s work in Microsoft Copilot chats (2024 data).Microsoft Research (Tomlinson et al.), 2025
Above 72% of jobsin how much of this job’s physical work robots have been shown to do, from factories to homes (2026).Anthropic, 2026
Your human edge
The main tasks with no real AI use seen and no big speed-up expected. This is where your skill counts most today.
- Measure and mark cutting lines on materials, using a ruler, pencil, chalk, and marking gauge.
- Follow established safety rules and regulations and maintain a safe and clean environment.
- Shape or cut materials to specified measurements, using hand tools, machines, or power saws.