Will AI replace Construction Laborers?

Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 27 official task statements scored for Construction Laborers (United States, SOC 47-2061), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 3 out of 100 (range 3–8, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.

Which tasks in “Construction Laborers” can AI already do?

The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities” (56/100, partial); “Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards” (0/100, minimal); “Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones” (0/100, minimal). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.

Which tasks in “Construction Laborers” stay human?

About 94% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse…” (0/100, minimal); “Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air” (0/100, minimal); “Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.

What should someone working in “Construction Laborers” do about AI?

Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 94% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.

How is the AI exposure score for Construction Laborers calculated?

Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 27 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

US dataswitch to UK

Construction Laborers

tending pumps, smoothing or finishing freshly poured cement or concrete and measuring, marking. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

AI changes the edges of this job, not the middle: tending pumps, compressors or generators to provide power for tools, machinery or equipment or to heat or move materials is work software can't reach.

Your move: what you can actually do about this ↓

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 0%
changing shape: 6%
staying human: 94%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

Whole-job exposure score 3 out of 100 (3–8 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, across 27 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.

How we know this

What is measured: Every published task statement for construction laborers is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

What shifts is reading plans, instructions or specifications to determine work activities. This page scores what today's tools actually do, not headlines.

Your week, as this page understands it

Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers. The job title says “construction laborers”. The real job is the part underneath: tending pumps, compressors or generators to provide power for tools, machinery or equipment or to heat or move materials. That is the thing someone has to be right about.

The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But construction laborers is not one task. It is 27 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is tending pumps, compressors or generators to provide power for tools, machinery or equipment or to heat or move materials, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 0%
changing shape: 6%
staying human: 94%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

How we know this

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

Your job, task by task

These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.

3 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Shifting to AI

0 tasks

Tasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.

Nothing in this job’s scored task list landed in this group. That is the measurement, not an editorial choice, and it is worth knowing either way.

Changing shape

1 task

Tasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.

Reading plans, instructions or specifications to determine work activities
The software now makes the first pass at plans, instructions or specifications, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (49–63 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Reading drawings and specifications to work out what needs doing is document work software handles well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Staying human

26 tasks

Tasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.

Tending pumps, compressors or generators to provide power for tools, machinery or equipment or to heat or move materials
This work happens in the physical world: pumps, compressors or generators, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Running pumps, compressors and generators means being at the machine to start and watch it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Lubricating, cleaning or repairing machinery, equipment or tools
This work happens in the physical world: machinery, equipment or tools, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Greasing, cleaning and fixing tools and machinery is done with hands on the equipment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Cleaning or preparing construction sites to eliminate possible hazards
This work happens in the physical world: construction sites, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Clearing hazards from a site means physically moving things out of the way.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Signaling equipment operators to facilitate alignment
This work happens in the physical world: equipment operators, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Signalling a machine operator means standing where the driver can see you, watching the load.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Loading unload or identifying building materials, machinery or tools
This work happens in the physical world: unload, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Loading, unloading and carrying materials around a site is lifting work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Measuring, marking or recording openings or distances to layout areas where construction work
This work happens in the physical world: openings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Measuring and marking out the site is done on the ground with a tape and marker.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Digging ditches or trenches, backfill excavations or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers or rakes
This work happens in the physical world: ditches, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Digging, backfilling and levelling ground is heavy physical work with tools.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Erecting or dismantling scaffolding shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps or other temporary structures
This work happens in the physical world: braces, traffic barricades, ramps or other temporary structures, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Putting up and taking down scaffolding and barriers is physical assembly on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Installing sewer, water or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment
This work happens in the physical world: sewer, water or storm drain pipes, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Laying drainage and water pipes in a trench is hands-on work with machinery.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

Show the other 17 tasks

Controlling traffic passing near, in or around work zones
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: traffic, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Directing traffic round a work zone needs a person visible at the roadside.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Positioning join, align or sealing structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: join, align or sealing structural components, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Lifting concrete sections and pipes into position and sealing them is done by hand on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Positioning or dismantling forms for pouring concrete
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: forms, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Position or dismantle forms for pouring concrete, using saws, hammers, nails, or bolts.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Building and stripping concrete formwork with saws and hammers is carpentry done on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Operating jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: jackhammers, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Operate jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Breaking up concrete with a jackhammer takes a person holding the tool.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Smoothing or finishing freshly poured cement or concrete
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: poured cement, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Floating and trowelling wet concrete has to be done by hand before it sets.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Operating or maintaining air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: air, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Operate or maintain air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Placing and running sampling equipment inside confined or hazardous spaces means going in there.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Providing assistance to craft workers
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: assistance, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fetching, holding and helping for carpenters and masons is hands-on support at the work face.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Mopping brush or spread paints, cleaning solutions or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: brush, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Mopping, brushing and spreading coatings is done by hand across the surface.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Placing consolidate or protecting case-in-place concrete or masonry structures
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: consolidate, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Place, consolidate, or protect case-in-place concrete or masonry structures.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Placing and protecting poured concrete happens at the pour, with tools in hand.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Mixing, pouring or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: spread concrete, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Mix, pour, or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Mixing, pouring and spreading concrete is physical work with a mixer and tools.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Grinding scrape, sand or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo or wood flooring
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: scrape, sand or polish surfaces, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Grinding, sanding and polishing floors means guiding a tool across the surface.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Tending machines that pump concrete
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machines, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Tend machines that pump concrete, grout, cement, sand, plaster, or stucco through spray guns for application to ceilings or walls.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Feeding and watching a concrete or plaster pump means standing with the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Mixing ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: ingredients, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Mix ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Mixing surface compounds means handling and blending real materials on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Razing buildings or salvage useful materials
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: buildings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Raze buildings or salvage useful materials.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Pulling a building down and recovering materials is heavy physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Spraying materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint or stucco
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Spraying water, paint or stucco through a hose means holding the hose at the surface.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Applying caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: compounds, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Supplemental
Source: “Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Running a bead of caulk along a joint is precise hand work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Performing site activities required of green certified construction practices
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: site activities required of green certified construction practices, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Perform 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.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sorting site waste and putting erosion barriers in place is physical work outdoors.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay: $47,120a year, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.bls-oews, 2025 · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
How we know this
Source: bls-oews
Reference period: May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
Rounding: Shown as published.
People doing this job: 1,096,780in the US, 2025.bls-oews · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)

What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.

Why this is shifting

The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: plans, instructions or specifications in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: reading plans, instructions or specifications to determine work activities. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where pumps, compressors or generators get done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.

Your move

Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend

Start with what does not change: tending pumps, compressors or generators to provide power for tools, machinery or equipment or to heat or move materials is the middle of this job, and the evidence on this page says it stays with a person.

So, given all that: 0% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 6% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 94% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 27 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.

So the thing worth your attention is not the job going away. It is the layer around it. Reading plans, instructions or specifications to determine work activities is the part turning into software, and being the person who understands that layer is worth money.

This week: one thing

Ask the one question. Find whoever is bringing new software into your workplace (the manager, the office, whoever runs the system) and ask them what it is meant to do to plans, instructions or specifications, and what it is not meant to touch. Ten minutes, this week, before anyone decides it for you.

What you end up holding: a straight answer about what is actually being rolled out, and when
How long it takes: ten minutes

If there’s nobody obvious to ask, or you’d rather not ask your manager: Put the same question to your union rep, your shift lead or the person who has been there longest, in person, over a break. Same ten minutes, same answer, and you will usually get a straighter one. Write down what they say. The note is the artifact, and it tells you whether pumps, compressors or generators are in scope or not. Nothing to log into, no license needed.

Over the next 90 days

Get inside the tool rollout rather than waiting for it. Over the next ninety days, ask to be in the group that tests, checks or signs off whatever new system arrives near reading plans, instructions or specifications to determine work activities. It is usually an unglamorous seat that nobody fights for, and it is the one that decides how the software is used on your job rather than to it.

Over the next 12 months

On this evidence I would not retrain out of this job, and I will say that plainly rather than hedge it. The task list here is dominated by work that stays with a person. What I would do with a year is get formally recognised for the layer around it (the systems, the compliance, the planning), so you are the one who understands the software instead of the one it is done to. Before you pay for anything, use CareerOneStop - Find local training. It is free, it is the Labor Department's own service, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.

The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them

I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.

I checked the 12 nearest US occupations to construction laborers (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was industrial machinery mechanics: only about 18% of its durable work is work you already do. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 3/100 here, with only 0% of the task list in the top band, and “tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or…” is not work that hands over cleanly. None of them beats deepening what you already have.

How that was checked: this job was compared against all 830 US occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.

3 moves I checked and rejected

These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.

Industrial Machinery Mechanics
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools, and their equivalent is to clean, lubricate, or adjust parts, equipment, or machinery. Across both published task lists that is about 18% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 18% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools, and their equivalent is to clean and maintain equipment, using hand tools. Across both published task lists that is about 8% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 8% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. And it is a narrow door: about 94,920 of those jobs against 1,096,780 of yours (OEWS May 2025), 9% as many seats.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment…, and their equivalent is to tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients…. Across both published task lists that is about 7% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 7% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. And it is a narrow door: about 26,000 of those jobs against 1,096,780 of yours (OEWS May 2025), 2% as many seats.
Look at that job’s page anyway →

What I’d stop worrying about

A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.

The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 0% of its task weight, across 27 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
The headlines about your trade disappearing
They are usually about the technology, not the timetable. Changes to work like tending pumps, compressors or generators to provide power for tools, machinery or equipment or to heat or move materials arrive through rules, insurance and money, slowly and visibly. This page tracks the task evidence and will move when it moves.
Retraining out of a job that is holding up
On this evidence I would not spend money leaving. Spend it on the layer around the job instead: the tools, the paperwork, the planning. That is where the change actually is.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.

You are reading the United States figures

The United Kingdom splits this work across more than one official group, of which Elementary construction occupations n.e.c. is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.

Switch to the United Kingdom page →partial match

In UK official statistics this job is counted as Elementary construction occupations n.e.c.. Pay and employment stay on this page’s own group; the task list and the scores do not cross over.

Your route through this

Where to go next, and what it costs

Free, and complete

The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.

Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop - Find local training
Search what's running near you, from the Labor Department's own database, before anyone sells you a course.
Free to search; individual programs vary, and some are funded
Anywhere in the US:
American Job Center locator
An American Job Center will sit down with you for free. Find yours by ZIP code.
Free
- CareerOneStop local help hub
Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop - Licensed occupations finder
Check what your state actually requires before you pay for anything.
Free
Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop
Free

Why there is no community here

Collab365, who build this site, run paid Spaces for a small number of subjects, and none of them is built for this job. We are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.

So the free services listed on this page are the whole answer, and it is the same answer we would give a friend.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for construction laborers launches. Nothing else.

That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.

We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.

No Space for construction laborers yet. Should there be one?

Collab365 Spaces is built by the same people as this site. We find the problems that AI and automation are creating inside one kind of work, then solve them as short courses, briefings and Blueprints. Each Space is the community too, so the research and the people doing your job are in the same place.

What a Space actually is, in full

Collab365 launches new communities where the need is real. If one for construction laborers existed, with researched problems, courses and people in the same boat, would you want in?

Your email

We use your email address for one thing: to tell you if a Space for construction laborers launches. We never sell it, never use it for unrelated marketing, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Our privacy policy has the full version.

This unlocks nothing. Every figure, every row and every step on this page is already yours, whether you fill this in or not.

No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.

Questions people ask about this job

Will AI replace Construction Laborers?: Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 27 official task statements scored for Construction Laborers (United States, SOC 47-2061), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 3 out of 100 (range 3–8, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
Which tasks in “Construction Laborers” can AI already do?: The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities” (56/100, partial); “Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards” (0/100, minimal); “Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones” (0/100, minimal). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
Which tasks in “Construction Laborers” stay human?: About 94% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse…” (0/100, minimal); “Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air” (0/100, minimal); “Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
What should someone working in “Construction Laborers” do about AI?: Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 94% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
How is the AI exposure score for Construction Laborers calculated?: Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 27 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

Where these numbers come from

Worth knowing about these figures

The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
3 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Task statements: onet-dbProcessing: catalogue-bridge → onet-im-rt-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
Task weights: onet-db (im-rt)
Scores: Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-04.
Pay and employment: bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))

Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.

The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.

The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.

How we score a job Download this release Look up another job

Using these figures?

Cite this

Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.

Plain text

Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).

BibTeX

@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
  title        = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
  author       = {{Collab365}},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
  note         = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}

Permalink

https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1

Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.