Plumbers

Construction, Maintenance & Repair

AI exposure

Data source: BLSPublished: '26.08
Moderate· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery high
Group-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
Source dataset (XLSX download)
Data source: AnthropicPublished: '26.03
0.012
0.000Range of values carried here0.745
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Source dataset
Data source: ILOPublished: '25
0.18
0.09Range of values carried here0.70
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
ISCO-08 unit group — every occupation sharing the code gets this value
Computed by this site, not published by the ILO: of the 1,012 occupations this site links to the ILO dataset, 90% score at or above this value.
Source dataset

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 34 hidden tasks

Task	Claude.aiRaw / share %	APIRaw / share %
Maintain or repair plumbing by replacing defective washers, replacing or mending broken pipes, or opening clogged drains. 47-2152	0.012327.4	0.00156.9
Prepare cost estimates for clients. 47-2152	0.007917.6	0.002310.2
Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications. 47-2152	0.006414.3	—0
Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures. 47-2152	0.005311.8	0.011953.7
Install pipe assemblies, fittings, valves, appliances such as dishwashers or water heaters, or fixtures such as sinks or toilets, using hand or power tools. 47-2152	0.00378.2	—0
Calculate costs or savings for water- or energy-efficient appliances or systems. 47-2152	0.00368.0	—0
Compile information on governmental incentive programs related to the installation of energy or water saving plumbing systems or devices. 47-2152	0.00224.9	0.00177.9
Inspect structures to assess material or equipment needs, to establish the sequence of pipe installations, or to plan installation around obstructions such as electrical wiring. 47-2152	0.00204.5	0.004721.3
Estimate time, material, or labor costs for use in project plans. 47-2152	0.00153.3	—0

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	βE1 + 0.5 × E2
Keep records of work assignments. O*NET Task ID 23470	1.0
Lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints. O*NET Task ID 23460	0.5
Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures. O*NET Task ID 23475	0.5
Estimate time, material, or labor costs for use in project plans. O*NET Task ID 23477	0.5
Inspect work sites for obstructions or holes that could cause structural weakness. O*NET Task ID 23482	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

Occupation information

ILO

ESCO occupational vocabulary

sprinkler fitterESCO 7126.12
Sprinkler fitters are responsible for the installation of fire protection systems that sprinkle water. They connect pipes, tubing and the necessary accessories. Sprinkler system installers also test the systems for leaks.
water network operativeESCO 7126.14
Water network operatives maintain pipes and pumping stations used for water supply, waste water removal and sewerage. They perform planned maintenance and repair tasks and clear blockages in pipes and drains.
water conservation technicianESCO 7126.13
Water conservation technicians install systems to recover, filter, store and distribute water from different sources such as rainwater and domestic greywater.
bathroom fitterESCO 7126.1
Bathroom fitters install bathroom elements. They take the necessary measurements, prepare the room, removing old elements if necessary, and install the new bathroom equipment, including the connection of water, gas and sewage pipes and electricity lines.
drain technicianESCO 7126.2
Drain technicians install and maintain drainage equipment used in sewer systems, such as pipes and valves. They analyse the design and ensure the proper installation of the drainage system, and perform maintenance and repair duties.
irrigation technicianESCO 7126.6
Irrigation technicians specialise in the installation, maintenance and repair of sprinklers, pipes and other irrigation systems. They operate machinery used for irrigation systems handling, and ensure compliance with environmental standards.
sewerage network operativeESCO 7126.10
Sewerage network operatives maintain sewerage systems which remove and transport wastewater and sewerage. They inspect pipes, pumping stations, and mains, looking for leaks or other faults, and repair any problems. They clear blockages, and perform maintenance duties, using network maps and specialised software.
heating engineerESCO 7126.4
Heating engineers install and maintain gas, electric, oil, solid-fuel and multiple fuel heating and ventilation equipment as stand-alone heating and ventilation systems or build into machinery and transport equipment. They follow instructions and blueprints, perform maintance on systems, perform safety checks and repair the systems.
sewer construction workerESCO 7126.11
Sewer construction workers install sewer pipes to transport wastewater out of structures and to a body of water or treatment facility. They dig trenches and insert the pipes, making sure they have correct angle and are connected watertigh. Sewer construction workers also construct other elements of sewage infrastructure, such as manholes, and maintain and repair existing systems.
pipeline maintenance workerESCO 7126.7
Pipeline maintenance workers operate different equipment to keep the suitability of the pipelines. They perform checks for deviations and administer chemicals according to the needs and cleaning aim (e.g. corrosion shunning)
septic tank servicerESCO 7126.9
Septic tank servicers clean and maintain septic systems. They repair damages and faults, and ensure the tanks are cleaned and maintained, operating cleaning and maintenance machinery, in compliance with safety procedures.
gas service technicianESCO 7126.3
Gas service technicians install and maintain gas service appliances and systems in facilities or buildings. They install the equipment in accordance with regulations, repair faults, and investigate leaks and other problems. They test the equipment and advise on the use and care of appliances and systems which use gas energy.

Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)

License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)

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ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.

AI exposure

Task-level exposure

Occupation information

ILO occupational description

ESCO occupational vocabulary