AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 27-1027.00

Will AI replace Set and Exhibit Designers?

Set and Exhibit Designers: AI can already handle 3 of 27 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 27 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Set and Exhibit Designers, from most to least exposed. 3 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed. 85 Estimated Frontier 4.8
Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations. 80 Estimated Standard 4.9
Research architectural and stylistic elements appropriate to the time period to be depicted, consulting experts for information, as necessary. 60 Estimated Standard 4.4
Read scripts to determine location, set, and design requirements. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.8
Submit plans for approval, and adapt plans to serve intended purposes, or to conform to budget or fabrication restrictions. 50 Estimated Standard 4.6
Collaborate with those in charge of lighting and sound so that those production aspects can be coordinated with set designs or exhibit layouts. 50 Estimated Standard 4.3
Design and build scale models of set designs, or miniature sets used in filming backgrounds or special effects. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.0
Examine objects to be included in exhibits to plan where and how to display them. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.8
Assign staff to complete design ideas and prepare sketches, illustrations, and detailed drawings of sets, or graphics and animation. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.8
Direct and coordinate construction, erection, or decoration activities to ensure that sets or exhibits meet design, budget, and schedule requirements. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.8
Coordinate the transportation of sets that are built off-site, and coordinate their setup at the site of use. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.7
Plan for location-specific issues, such as space limitations, traffic flow patterns, and safety concerns. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.6
Design and produce displays and materials that can be used to decorate windows, interior displays, or event locations, such as streets and fairgrounds. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.0
Coordinate the removal of sets, props, and exhibits after productions or events are complete. 50 Estimated Frontier 2.8
Attend rehearsals and production meetings to obtain and share information related to sets. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Confer with clients and staff to gather information about exhibit space, proposed themes and content, timelines, budgets, materials, or promotion requirements. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Observe sets during rehearsals in order to ensure that set elements do not interfere with performance aspects such as cast movement and camera angles. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Select set props, such as furniture, pictures, lamps, and rugs. 30 Estimated Standard 4.2
Confer with conservators to determine how to handle an exhibit's environmental aspects, such as lighting, temperature, and humidity, so that objects will be protected and exhibits will be enhanced. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Acquire, or arrange for acquisition of, specimens or graphics required to complete exhibits. 30 Estimated Standard 3.4
Incorporate security systems into exhibit layouts. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.0
Provide supportive materials for exhibits and displays, such as press kits, advertising, publicity notices, posters, brochures, catalogues, and invitations. 30 Estimated Standard 2.6
Inspect installed exhibits for conformance to specifications and satisfactory operation of special-effects components. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Prepare preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, including detailed construction, layout, and material specifications, and diagrams relating to aspects such as special effects or lighting. 15 Estimated No tier 4.8
Estimate set- or exhibit-related costs, including materials, construction, and rental of props or locations. 15 Estimated No tier 3.7
Select and purchase lumber and hardware necessary for set construction. 15 Estimated No tier 3.5
Arrange for outside contractors to construct exhibit structures. 15 Estimated No tier 3.4

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 27 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 27 of 27. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 86% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 86% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 15% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
10,630
Median annual wage
$75,240
Middle half of earners
$52,830 to $104,030
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+2.3%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Set and Exhibit Designers and AI

Will AI replace Set and Exhibit Designers?

AI already handles 3 of the 27 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 42 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +2.3% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Set and Exhibit Designers?

42 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 27 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 27 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Set and Exhibit Designers tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed; Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations; Research architectural and stylistic elements appropriate to the time period to be depicted, consulting experts for information, as necessary. They are the tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 86% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Set and Exhibit Designers, and what do they earn?

10,630 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $75,240 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +2.3% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Set and Exhibit Designers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/set-and-exhibit-designers

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