Will AI replace Solar Photovoltaic Installers?

Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 26 official task statements scored for Solar Photovoltaic Installers (United States, SOC 47-2231), 8% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 25 out of 100 (range 20–31, band: low). 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 “Solar Photovoltaic Installers” can AI already do?

The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Determine appropriate sizes, ratings, and locations for all system overcurrent devices, disconnect devices, grounding equipment, and surge suppression equipment” (66/100, high); “Examine designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic (PV) system electrical circuit” (66/100, high); “Identify methods for laying out, orienting, and mounting modules or arrays to ensure efficient installation, electrical configuration, or system maintenance” (56/100, partial). 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 “Solar Photovoltaic Installers” stay human?

About 64% 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: “Test operating voltages to ensure operation within acceptable limits for power conditioning equipment, such as inverters and controllers” (0/100, minimal); “Install required labels on solar system components and hardware” (0/100, minimal); “Install module array interconnect wiring, implementing measures to disable arrays during installation” (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 “Solar Photovoltaic Installers” do about AI?

Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 8% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 64% 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 Solar Photovoltaic Installers 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 26 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

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

installing photovoltaic, diagraming layouts and locations and determining materials, equipment and installation sequences necessary to maximize installation efficiency. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

AI changes the edges of this job, not the middle: installing photovoltaic, PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics and instructions 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: 8%
changing shape: 29%
staying human: 64%

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

Whole-job exposure score 25 out of 100 (20–31 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, across 26 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 solar photovoltaic installers 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 2026-08-05. Read the full method.

What shifts is examining designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic: the paper around the work, not the work.

Your week, as this page understands it

Assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures in compliance with site assessment and schematics. May include measuring, cutting, assembling, and bolting structural framing and solar modules. May perform minor electrical work such as current checks. The job title says “solar photovoltaic installers”. The real job is the part underneath: installing photovoltaic, PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics and instructions. 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 solar photovoltaic installers is not one task. It is 26 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is installing photovoltaic, PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics and instructions, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 8%
changing shape: 29%
staying human: 64%

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 2026-08-05. 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.

6 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

2 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.

Examining designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic
This is reading one thing and writing another: designs in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Examine designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic (PV) system electrical circuit.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 66 out of 100 (59–73 allowing for uncertainty): high 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: Calculating circuit current requirements from a design is documented arithmetic software does accurately.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Determining appropriate sizes, ratings and locations for all system overcurrent devices, disconnect devices, grounding equipment and surge suppression equipment
This is reading one thing and writing another: appropriate sizes, ratings and locations in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Determine appropriate sizes, ratings, and locations for all system overcurrent devices, disconnect devices, grounding equipment, and surge suppression equipment.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 66 out of 100 (59–73 allowing for uncertainty): high 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: Sizing breakers, disconnects and grounding follows published electrical code rules that software applies accurately.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Changing shape

8 tasks

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.

Determining materials, equipment and installation sequences necessary to maximize installation efficiency
The software now makes the first pass at this work, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Determine materials, equipment, and installation sequences necessary to maximize installation efficiency.” (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: Working out materials, equipment and the order of installation is documented planning 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.
Diagraming layouts and locations
The software now makes the first pass at layouts, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Diagram layouts and locations for photovoltaic (PV) arrays and equipment, including existing building or site features.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 49 out of 100 (42–56 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: Drawing array layouts is standard design work that software now produces to a good standard.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Identifying methods for laying out
The software now makes the first pass at methods, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Identify methods for laying out, orienting, and mounting modules or arrays to ensure efficient installation, electrical configuration, or system maintenance.” (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: Layout methods are set out in installer guidance, though the roof itself decides what is possible.
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.
Measuring and analyzing system performance and operating parameters to assess operating condition of systems or equipment
The software now makes the first pass at system performance, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Measure and analyze system performance and operating parameters to assess operating condition of systems or equipment.” (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: Analyzing system performance data is exactly the kind of number work software does 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

16 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.

Installing photovoltaic, PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics and instructions
This work happens in the physical world: photovoltaic, pv) systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Install photovoltaic (PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics, and instructions.” (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: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fitting panels and hardware to a roof is physical installation 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 3/4.
Identifying electrical, environmental and safety hazards associated with photovoltaic, PV) installations
This work happens in the physical world: electrical, environmental and safety hazards, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Identify electrical, environmental, and safety hazards associated with photovoltaic (PV) installations.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 30 out of 100 (23–37 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Hazard checklists are well documented, but recognizing the risks on a specific roof needs someone standing on it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Assembling solar modules, panels or supporting structures
This work happens in the physical world: solar modules, panels or supporting structures, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Assemble solar modules, panels, or support structures, as specified.” (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: Assembling modules and mounting structures is physical build 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.
Installing module array interconnect wiring
This work happens in the physical world: module array interconnect, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Install module array interconnect wiring, implementing measures to disable arrays during installation.” (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: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Running interconnect wiring between modules is physical electrical 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 3/4.

Show the other 16 tasks

Compiling or maintaining records of system operation
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at records of system operation, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Compile or maintain records of system operation, performance, and maintenance.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (52–60 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, high 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: Compiling operation and maintenance records is routine record-keeping software handles reliably.
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.
Determining connection interfaces for additional subpanels or for connecting photovoltaic
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at connection interfaces, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Determine connection interfaces for additional subpanels or for connecting photovoltaic (PV) systems with utility services or other power generation sources.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 49 out of 100 (42–56 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: Working out how the system connects to panels and the utility follows documented rules and standard designs.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Selecting mechanical designs, installation equipment or installation plans that conform to environmental, architectural, structural, site and coding requirements
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at mechanical designs, installation equipment or installation plans, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Select mechanical designs, installation equipment, or installation plans that conform to environmental, architectural, structural, site, and code requirements.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 49 out of 100 (42–56 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: Choosing designs and plans that meet code and site requirements is documented rule-following software does well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Determining photovoltaic, PV) system designs or configurations based on factors, customer needs, expectations and site conditions
changing shape
The software now makes the first pass at photovoltaic, pv) system designs or configurations, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Determine photovoltaic (PV) system designs or configurations based on factors such as customer needs, expectations, and site conditions.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 42 out of 100 (35–49 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: Designing a system around a customer’s needs and site is well-documented work software drafts strongly.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Programing, adjusting or configure inverters and controls for desired set points and operating modes
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: configure inverters, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Program, adjust, or configure inverters and controls for desired set points and operating modes.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 29 out of 100 (22–36 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Inverter settings are documented, but configuring the unit usually means being at the equipment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Identifying installation locations with proper orientation
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: installation locations, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Identify installation locations with proper orientation, area, solar access, or structural integrity for photovoltaic (PV) arrays.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 25 out of 100 (18–32 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Shading and area can be studied remotely, but structural integrity has to be judged on the roof.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Checking electrical installation for proper wiring
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: electrical installation, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Check electrical installation for proper wiring, polarity, grounding, or integrity of terminations.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (3–17 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Checking wiring, polarity and grounding means putting test leads on real terminals.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Identifying and resolving any deficiencies in photovoltaic
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: any deficiencies, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Identify and resolve any deficiencies in photovoltaic (PV) system installation or materials.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (3–17 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fixing installation faults means getting back on the roof with tools.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Visuallying inspect and testing photovoltaic
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: inspect, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Visually inspect and test photovoltaic (PV) modules or systems.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (3–17 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Inspecting and testing modules requires eyes and instruments on the actual array.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Demonstrating system functionality and performance
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: system functionality, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Demonstrate system functionality and performance, including start-up, shut-down, normal operation, and emergency or bypass operations.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 7 out of 100 (0–14 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Walking a customer through start-up and shutdown happens in person at their system.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Installing active solar systems, including solar collectors, concentrators, pumps or fans
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: active solar systems, including solar collectors, concentrators, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Install active solar systems, including solar collectors, concentrators, pumps, or fans.” (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: Installing collectors, pumps and fans is 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 2/4.
Performing routine photovoltaic, PV) system maintenance on modules, arrays, batteries
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: routine photovoltaic, pv) system maintenance, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Perform routine photovoltaic (PV) system maintenance on modules, arrays, batteries, power conditioning equipment, safety systems, structural systems, weather sealing, or balance of systems 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: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Routine maintenance on panels, batteries and sealing is hands-on work at the array.
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 3/4.
Activating photovoltaic, PV) systems to verify system functionality and conformity to performance expectations
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: photovoltaic, pv) systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Activate photovoltaic (PV) systems to verify system functionality and conformity to performance expectations.” (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: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Switching the system on and watching it run happens at the installation.
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 3/4.
Applying weather sealing
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: weather, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Apply weather sealing to array, building, or support 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: Applying weather sealing is hands-on work on the roof.
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.
Installing required labels on solar system components and hardware
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: required labels, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Install required labels on solar system components and hardware.” (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: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fixing the required labels onto equipment 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 3/4.
Testing operating voltages to ensure operation within acceptable limits for power conditioning equipment
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: voltages, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Test operating voltages to ensure operation within acceptable limits for power conditioning equipment, such as inverters and controllers.” (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: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Measuring operating voltages requires instruments 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 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay: $53,140a 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: 31,350in 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: appropriate sizes, ratings and locations in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: examining designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic and determining appropriate sizes. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where photovoltaic, pv) systems 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: installing photovoltaic, PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics and instructions is the middle of this job, and the evidence on this page says it stays with a person.

So, given all that: 8% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 29% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 64% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 26 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. Examining designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic 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 appropriate sizes, ratings and locations, 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 photovoltaic, pv) systems 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 determining materials, equipment and installation sequences necessary to maximize installation efficiency. 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 solar photovoltaic installers (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters: only about 4% of its durable work is work you already do. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 25/100 here, with only 8% of the task list in the top band, and “install photovoltaic (PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings…” 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.

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already identify electrical, environmental, and safety hazards associated with photovoltaic (PV) installations, and their equivalent is to identify plumbing, electrical, environmental, or safety hazards associated with solar thermal installations. Across both published task lists that is about 4% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 4% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already identify installation locations with proper orientation, area, solar access, or structural integrity for…, and their equivalent is to plan and coordinate installations of photovoltaic (PV) solar and solar thermal systems to…. Across both published task lists that is about 3% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 3% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Computer Network Architects
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already determine materials, equipment, and installation sequences necessary to maximize installation efficiency, and their equivalent is to coordinate installation of new equipment. Across both published task lists that is about 2% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 2% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. The pay gap is the market pricing a barrier: $134,050 against your $53,140 is 2.52× (OEWS May 2025 (both)), and you would be crossing it holding about 2% of their durable work. A gap that size with an overlap that small is a wish, not a route.
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: 8% of its task weight, across 26 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 installing photovoltaic, PV) systems in accordance with codes and standards, using drawings, schematics and instructions 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 Electricians and electrical fitters 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

The other groups this work is counted across:

In UK official statistics this job is counted as Electricians and electrical fitters, Construction operatives n.e.c., Construction and building trades n.e.c. and Scaffolders, stagers and riggers. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.

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

No Space for this job, but one for what is happening to it

Nothing Collab365 runs is built for solar photovoltaic installers, and we are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.

There is one that is not about a job title at all. The AI Authority is about being the person who directs these tools at work rather than the person they get compared to. That is worth saying here, because 8% of the work on this page is already inside what they can do.

Try The AI Authority free →

7 days free, no card needed. Explore up to 2 Spaces before you choose a plan: you pick a plan later, not now.

The AI Authority is a general community about working with AI, not a course for solar photovoltaic installers. You do not need it to act on anything here: the moves above cost nothing and stand on their own. The data on this page is the same either way.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for solar photovoltaic installers 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 solar photovoltaic installers 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 solar photovoltaic installers 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 solar photovoltaic installers 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 Solar Photovoltaic Installers?: Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 26 official task statements scored for Solar Photovoltaic Installers (United States, SOC 47-2231), 8% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 25 out of 100 (range 20–31, band: low). 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 “Solar Photovoltaic Installers” can AI already do?: The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Determine appropriate sizes, ratings, and locations for all system overcurrent devices, disconnect devices, grounding equipment, and surge suppression equipment” (66/100, high); “Examine designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic (PV) system electrical circuit” (66/100, high); “Identify methods for laying out, orienting, and mounting modules or arrays to ensure efficient installation, electrical configuration, or system maintenance” (56/100, partial). 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 “Solar Photovoltaic Installers” stay human?: About 64% 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: “Test operating voltages to ensure operation within acceptable limits for power conditioning equipment, such as inverters and controllers” (0/100, minimal); “Install required labels on solar system components and hardware” (0/100, minimal); “Install module array interconnect wiring, implementing measures to disable arrays during installation” (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 “Solar Photovoltaic Installers” do about AI?: Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 8% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 64% 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 Solar Photovoltaic Installers 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 26 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.
6 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 2026-08-05.
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.

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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.