AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 47-2044.00
Will AI replace Tile and Stone Setters?
Tile and Stone Setters: AI does not yet handle any of the role's 25 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs an efficient-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 25 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Tile and Stone Setters, from most to least exposed. None reaches 60, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural, and floor designs. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install and anchor fixtures in designated positions, using hand tools. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Brush glue onto manila paper on which design has been drawn and position tiles, finished side down, onto paper. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Cut, surface, polish, and install marble and granite or install pre-cast terrazzo, granite or marble units. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Select and order tile and other items to be installed, such as bathroom accessories, walls, panels, and cabinets, according to specifications. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Build underbeds and install anchor bolts, wires, and brackets. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Align and straighten tile using levels, squares, and straightedges. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Finish and dress the joints and wipe excess grout from between tiles, using damp sponge. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Cut and shape tile to fit around obstacles and into odd spaces and corners, using hand and power cutting tools. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Determine and implement the best layout to achieve a desired pattern. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Mix, apply, and spread plaster, concrete, mortar, cement, mastic, glue or other adhesives to form a bed for the tiles, using brush, trowel and screed. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Study blueprints and examine surface to be covered to determine amount of material needed. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Measure and mark surfaces to be tiled, following blueprints. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Apply mortar to tile back, position the tile, and press or tap with trowel handle to affix tile to base. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Mix and apply mortar or cement to edges and ends of drain tiles to seal halves and joints. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Apply a sealer to make grout stain- and water-resistant. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Level concrete and allow to dry. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Measure and cut metal lath to size for walls and ceilings, using tin snips. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Prepare surfaces for tiling by attaching lath or waterproof paper, or by applying a cement mortar coat to a metal screen. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Spread mastic or other adhesive base on roof deck to form base for promenade tile, using serrated spreader. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Assist customers in selection of tile and grout. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Remove and replace cracked or damaged tile. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Prepare cost and labor estimates, based on calculations of time and materials needed for project. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Cut tile backing to required size, using shears. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Remove any old tile, grout and adhesive using chisels and scrapers and clean the surface carefully. | Estimated | No tier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 25 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 25 of 25. 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
An efficient-tier model or lower covers 19% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 22% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 78% 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
- 35,850
- Median annual wage
- $55,690
- Middle half of earners
- $45,200 to $70,220
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +10.1%
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.
- Stonemasons 73% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure15
- Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters 73% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure18
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers 72% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure19
- Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing 71% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure35
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles 71% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure18
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Tile and Stone Setters and AI
Will AI replace Tile and Stone Setters?
Not on current evidence. None of the 25 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation reaches a task exposure of 60, the level at which JobRoute counts a task as handled by AI, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 20 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.
What is the AI exposure of Tile and Stone Setters?
20 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 25 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 25 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Tile and Stone Setters tasks can AI already do?
None reaches 60 yet. The most exposed task is: Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural, and floor designs, at 50 out of 100.
What AI model tier does this role need?
An efficient-tier model or lower covers 19% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 78% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. 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 Tile and Stone Setters, and what do they earn?
35,850 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $55,690 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +10.1% 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: Tile and Stone Setters. 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/tile-and-stone-setters
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