Commercial and Industrial Designers
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 27-1021.00
Design and develop manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children's toys. Combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.044
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.35
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 12 hidden tasks17 rated tasks · 16 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (94.1%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % |
|---|---|
Read publications, attend showings, and study competing products and design styles and motifs to obtain perspective and generate design concepts.27-1021.00 | 0.009132.7 |
Advise corporations on issues involving corporate image projects or problems.27-1021.00 | 0.009032.4 |
Modify and refine designs, using working models, to conform with customer specifications, production limitations, or changes in design trends.27-1021.00 | 0.005620.2 |
Participate in new product planning or market research, including studying the potential need for new products.27-1021.00 | 0.00269.2 |
Research production specifications, costs, production materials and manufacturing methods and provide cost estimates and itemized production requirements.27-1021.00 | 0.00155.5 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Prepare sketches of ideas, detailed drawings, illustrations, artwork, or blueprints, using drafting instruments, paints and brushes, or computer-aided design equipment.O*NET Task ID 6896 | 0.5 |
Direct and coordinate the fabrication of models or samples and the drafting of working drawings and specification sheets from sketches.O*NET Task ID 6897 | 0.5 |
Modify and refine designs, using working models, to conform with customer specifications, production limitations, or changes in design trends.O*NET Task ID 6898 | 0.5 |
Coordinate the look and function of product lines.O*NET Task ID 6899 | 0.5 |
Confer with engineering, marketing, production, or sales departments, or with customers, to establish and evaluate design concepts for manufactured products.O*NET Task ID 6900 | 0.5 |
Present designs and reports to customers or design committees for approval and discuss need for modification.O*NET Task ID 6901 | 0.5 |
Evaluate feasibility of design ideas, based on factors such as appearance, safety, function, serviceability, budget, production costs/methods, and market characteristics.O*NET Task ID 6902 | 0.5 |
Read publications, attend showings, and study competing products and design styles and motifs to obtain perspective and generate design concepts.O*NET Task ID 6903 | 0.5 |
Research production specifications, costs, production materials, and manufacturing methods and provide cost estimates and itemized production requirements.O*NET Task ID 6904 | 0.5 |
Design graphic material for use as ornamentation, illustration, or advertising on manufactured materials and packaging or containers.O*NET Task ID 6905 | 0.5 |
Develop manufacturing procedures and monitor the manufacture of their designs in a factory to improve operations and product quality.O*NET Task ID 6906 | 0.5 |
Supervise assistants' work throughout the design process.O*NET Task ID 6907 | 0.5 |
Investigate product characteristics such as the product's safety and handling qualities, its market appeal, how efficiently it can be produced, and ways of distributing, using, and maintaining it.O*NET Task ID 6909 | 0.5 |
Develop industrial standards and regulatory guidelines.O*NET Task ID 6910 | 0.5 |
Participate in new product planning or market research, including studying the potential need for new products.O*NET Task ID 6911 | 0.5 |
Advise corporations on issues involving corporate image projects or problems.O*NET Task ID 6912 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (17)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Prepare sketches of ideas, detailed drawings, illustrations, artwork, or blueprints, using drafting instruments, paints and brushes, or computer-aided design equipment. | Core |
| Direct and coordinate the fabrication of models or samples and the drafting of working drawings and specification sheets from sketches. | Core |
| Modify and refine designs, using working models, to conform with customer specifications, production limitations, or changes in design trends. | Core |
| Confer with engineering, marketing, production, or sales departments, or with customers, to establish and evaluate design concepts for manufactured products. | Core |
| Present designs and reports to customers or design committees for approval and discuss need for modification. | Core |
| Evaluate feasibility of design ideas, based on factors such as appearance, safety, function, serviceability, budget, production costs/methods, and market characteristics. | Core |
| Read publications, attend showings, and study competing products and design styles and motifs to obtain perspective and generate design concepts. | Core |
| Research production specifications, costs, production materials, and manufacturing methods and provide cost estimates and itemized production requirements. | Core |
| Develop manufacturing procedures and monitor the manufacture of their designs in a factory to improve operations and product quality. | Core |
| Fabricate models or samples in paper, wood, glass, fabric, plastic, metal, or other materials, using hand or power tools. | Core |
| Investigate product characteristics such as the product's safety and handling qualities, its market appeal, how efficiently it can be produced, and ways of distributing, using, and maintaining it. | Core |
| Participate in new product planning or market research, including studying the potential need for new products. | Core |
| Coordinate the look and function of product lines. | Supplemental |
| Design graphic material for use as ornamentation, illustration, or advertising on manufactured materials and packaging or containers. | Supplemental |
| Supervise assistants' work throughout the design process. | Supplemental |
| Develop industrial standards and regulatory guidelines. | Supplemental |
| Advise corporations on issues involving corporate image projects or problems. | Supplemental |
0.04/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Fabricate models or samples in paper, wood, glass, fabric, plastic, metal, or other materials, using hand or power tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 35K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 36K
- Change (2025–35)
- +2.4%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $83,910
- Typical education needed for entry
- Bachelor's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29511 | 자동차 디자이너 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 29512 | 가구 디자이너 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 29519 | 그 외 제품 디자이너 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 13402 | 디자인 관련 관리자 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 2163Product and Garment Designers
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Product and garment designers design and develop products for manufacture and prepare designs and specifications of products for mass, batch and one-off production.
Tasks
- (a) determining the objectives and constraints of the design brief by consulting with clients and stakeholders;
- (b) formulating design concepts for clothing, textiles, industrial, commercial and consumer products, and jewellery;
- (c) harmonizing aesthetic considerations with technical, functional, ecological and production requirements;
- (d) preparing sketches, diagrams, illustrations, plans, samples and models to communicate design concepts;
- (e) negotiating design solutions with clients, management, and sales and manufacturing staff;
- (f) selecting, specifying and recommending functional and aesthetic materials, production methods and finishes for manufacture;
- (g) detailing and documenting the selected design for production;
- (h) preparing and commissioning prototypes and samples;
- (i) supervising the preparation of patterns, programmes and tooling, and of the manufacturing process.
Example occupations
Costume designer · Fashion designer · Industrial designer · Jewellery designer
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- industrial designerESCO 2163.1Same scope
Industrial designers work out ideas and develop them into designs and concepts for a wide variety of manufactured products. They integrate creativity, aesthetics, production feasibility, and market relevance in the design of new products.
- design engineerESCO 2149.2.4This occupation is broader
Design engineers develop new conceptual and detailed designs. They create the look for these concepts or products and the systems used to make them. Design engineers work with engineers and marketers to enhance the functioning and efficiency of existing devices.
- furniture designerESCO 2163.1.4This occupation is broader
Furniture designers work on items of furniture and related products. They design the product and are involved in its production as craftsmen and designers or makers. The conception of furniture combines innovative design, functional requirements and aesthetic appeal.
- leather goods product developerESCO 3119.10This occupation is broader
Leather goods product developers perform and interface between design and actual production. They analyse and study designer’s specifications and transform them into technical requirements, updating concepts to manufacturing lines, selecting or even designing components and selecting materials. Leather goods product developers also perform the pattern engineering meaning to make patterns manually, produce technical drawings for various range of tools, specially cutting. They evaluate prototypes, performing required tests for samples and confirming the customer’s quality requirements and pricing constrains.
- textile product developerESCO 2163.3This occupation is broader
Textile product developers innovate and perform product design of apparel textiles, home textiles, and technical textiles (e.g. agriculture, safety, construction, medicine, mobile tech, environmental protection, sports, etc.). They apply scientific and technical principles to develop innovative textile products.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| H1204 | Designer | Same scopeprovisional |
| B1612 | Concepteur / Conceptrice numérique en bijouterie joaillerie | This occupation is broader |
| H1233 | Technicien / Technicienne en design | This occupation is broader |
| H1229 | Roughman / Roughwoman en design | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 2482 | Diseñadores de productos y de prendas | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 93104 | Berufe im Produkt- und Industriedesign - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Same scope |
| 93103 | Berufe im Produkt- und Industriedesign - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | This occupation is broader |
| 93102 | Berufe im Produkt- und Industriedesign - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 93333 | Berufe in der Drechslerei und Spielzeugherstellung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 93413 | Berufe in der kunsthandwerklichen Keramikgestaltung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 93433 | Berufe in der kunsthandwerklichen Glasbläserei - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 28114 | Berufe in der Textilgestaltung - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 93524 | Berufe in der kunsthandwerklichen Schmuckwarenherstellung, Edelstein- und Edelmetallbearbeitung - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 93604 | Berufe im Musikinstrumentenbau (ohne Spezialisierung) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 224 | デザイナー | This occupation is narrower |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources