Will AI replace painters?
Updated
Painters score 18 of 100 for AI exposure. 74% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do 6% today and speed up another 20%.
- 6% AI can do it
- 20% AI helps
- 74% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 84% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 17 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 1 of them today, speeds up 4 and leaves 12 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Calculate amounts of required materials and estimate costs, based on surface measurements or work orders. Material quantities and cost estimates are routine calculations from measurements. | 75% AI can do it |
| Select and purchase tools or finishes for surfaces to be covered, considering durability, ease of handling, methods of application, and customers' wishes. AI can compare products and draft purchase lists for review. | 50% AI helps |
| Read work orders or receive instructions from supervisors or homeowners to determine work requirements. AI can summarize work orders; onsite client talks stay human. | 40% AI helps |
| Mix and match colors of paint, stain, or varnish with oil or thinning and drying additives to obtain desired colors and consistencies. Software helps match colors; physical mixing stays manual. | 30% AI helps |
| Cut stencils and brush or spray lettering or decorations on surfaces. AI can draft stencil designs; cutting and spraying stay manual. | 22% AI helps |
| Use special finishing techniques such as sponging, ragging, layering, or faux finishing. Faux finishing is skilled hand artistry; AI suggests designs only. | 12% Needs a person |
| Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting. Physical taping and covering on site needs a worker. | 8% Needs a person |
| Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives. Replaced 'manually' with 'with hands'. | 8% Needs a person |
| Wash and treat surfaces with oil, turpentine, mildew remover, or other preparations, and sand rough spots to ensure that finishes will adhere properly. Washing and sanding rough spots is physical; AI adds little. | 8% Needs a person |
| Remove old finishes by stripping, sanding, wire brushing, burning, or using water or abrasive blasting. Stripping old finishes with blasting gear is physical work. | 8% Needs a person |
Show the other 7 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines. Sanding and smoothing surfaces is physical work; AI helps little. | 6% Needs a person |
| Apply primers or sealers to prepare new surfaces, such as bare wood or metal, for finish coats. Priming is physical work; AI can only advise on products. | 6% Needs a person |
| Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers. Applying paint to real structures is physical, hands-on work. | 5% Needs a person |
| Remove fixtures such as pictures, door knobs, lamps, or electric switch covers prior to painting. Removing fixtures is simple physical handling on site. | 5% Needs a person |
| Waterproof buildings, using waterproofers or caulking. Waterproofing is physical sealing work on building surfaces. | 5% Needs a person |
| Polish final coats to specified finishes. Polishing final coats is hand finishing done by a person. | 5% Needs a person |
| Erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above ground level. Scaffold and ladder setup is physical and carries safety risk. | 3% Needs a person |
How painters compare
All occupations (923)
Construction and extraction (61)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $49,400 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 225,190 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +3.0% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Measure surfaces and quote jobs in Eagle Bid Estimating
- Check AI material takeoffs against site measurements before quoting
- Mix and match colors with oil and thinning additives manually
- Set up scaffolding and ladders safely for work above ground
- Prepare surfaces by sanding, scraping and removing old paint
- Run faux finishing techniques such as sponging, ragging and layering
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about painters and AI
Will painters be replaced by AI?
Partly. About 2 in 10 of a painter's working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly material quantity calculations and cost estimates from measurements, plus comparing and listing finishes to buy. Applying paint to real walls, bridges and structures stays with people because it needs hands, brushes, spray guns and judgment on the job.
Which painting tasks is AI taking over?
Calculating material amounts and cost estimates scores 75 on exposure, the highest of any task in this job, because surface measurements and work orders give software clear inputs. Selecting finishes scores 50, since AI can compare products on durability and application method and draft a purchase list for the painter to check.
Which painting tasks stay human?
Applying paint, stain or varnish to structures scores 5 on exposure, so brushing, rolling and spraying buildings and bridges stays with painters. Scaffold and ladder setup scores 3 because it is physical and carries fall risk. Sanding and smoothing surfaces scores 6 because hand work on the surface needs a person.
How can painters stay valuable as AI takes on estimating?
Quote jobs yourself in Eagle Bid Estimating or Quick Bid, and check any AI quantity list against your site measurements before sending a price. Spend time on hand skills such as faux finishing and colour matching with oil and thinning additives, since those tasks score 12 and 30 on exposure and need a person at the surface.
Related jobs
Next steps for painters
Check which roles in your team AI can take on
We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first.
Related topics
- Jobs AI can't replaceCement masons score lowest, at 8.
- Jobs most at risk from AIProofreaders score highest, at 76.
- High-paying jobs with low AI exposureRadiologists earn a median $420,860 and score 46.
- Entry-level jobs with low AI exposureCement masons need little prior training and score 8.
- Jobs AI speeds up the mostFor natural sciences managers, AI speeds up 96% of task time.
- AI and jobs in Malta15 iGaming roles graded task by task.
- Skills that keep work humanThe skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.
- Jobs A to ZEvery job we publish, by first letter.
- AI exposure by industryAverage scores for 22 occupation groups.
- Write a CV screening software can readHow applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.
- AI for businessesThe tasks to automate first in each team and industry.
- How we score AI exposureThe grading, the weights and every source.