Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.1), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.2). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.

Mixed signals. Today's AI/LLM studies show relatively low exposure for this job, but the older (2013) Frey–Osborne work rated it higher for computerization and robotics. Different eras, different technologies — the AI measures above reflect the current state.

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient

The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international 6 occupations below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.

Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.

Tasks

All 16 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

• Verify depths and dimensions of cuts or carvings to ensure adherence to specifications, blueprints, or models, using measuring instruments. Core · importance 4.3
• Move fingers over surfaces of carvings to ensure smoothness of finish. Core · importance 4.3
• Study artistic objects or graphic materials, such as models, sketches, or blueprints, to plan carving or cutting techniques. Supplemental · importance 4.2
• Shape, trim, or touch up roughed-out designs with appropriate tools to finish carvings. Core · importance 4.2
• Carve designs or figures in full or bas relief on stone, employing knowledge of stone carving techniques and sense of artistry to produce carvings consistent with designers' plans. Supplemental · importance 4.1
• Lay out designs or dimensions from sketches or blueprints on stone surfaces, freehand or by transferring them from tracing paper, using scribes or chalk and measuring instruments. Core · importance 4.1
• Cut, shape, and finish rough blocks of building or monumental stone, according to diagrams or patterns. Core · importance 4.1
• Drill holes and cut or carve moldings and grooves in stone, according to diagrams and patterns. Core · importance 4.0
• Select chisels, pneumatic or surfacing tools, or sandblasting nozzles, and determine sequence of use. Core · importance 3.9
• Carve rough designs freehand or by chipping along marks on stone, using mallets and chisels or pneumatic tools. Supplemental · importance 3.9
• Guide nozzles over stone, following stencil outlines, or chip along marks to create designs or to work surfaces down to specified finishes. Supplemental · importance 3.8
• Smooth surfaces of carvings, using rubbing stones. Supplemental · importance 3.7
• Dress stone surfaces, using bushhammers. Supplemental · importance 3.6
• Load sandblasting equipment with abrasives, attach nozzles to hoses, and turn valves to admit compressed air and activate jets. Supplemental · importance 3.6
• Remove or add stencils during blasting to create differing cut depths, intricate designs, or rough, pitted finishes. Supplemental · importance 3.6
• Copy drawings on rough clay or plaster models. Supplemental · importance 3.4

Work activities

• Engrave designs, text, or other markings onto materials, workpieces, or products.
• Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
• Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.
• Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
• Drill holes in parts, equipment, or materials.
• Trim excess material from workpieces.
• Select production equipment according to product specifications.
• Inspect finishes of workpieces or finished products.
• Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing.
• Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products.
• Remove accessories, tools, or other parts from equipment.
• Attach decorative or functional accessories to products.
• Load materials into production equipment.
• Apply decorative masonry finishes.

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Abilities

Knowledge

Essential skills

Transferable skills

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

• Mathematics Common Skill
• Finger Dexterity Common Skill
• Visualization Specialized Skill
• English Language Common Skill
• Speech Recognition Specialized Skill
• Information Ordering Specialized Skill
• Deductive Reasoning Common Skill
• Microsoft Word Common Skill
• Microsoft Excel Common Skill
• Inductive Reasoning Common Skill
• Critical Thinking Common Skill
• Active Listening Common Skill
• Time Management Common Skill
• Reading Comprehension Common Skill
• Social Perceptiveness Common Skill
• Complex Problem Solving Common Skill
• Active Learning Common Skill
• Equipment Selection Specialized Skill
• Depth Perception Common Skill
• Chemistry Specialized Skill
• Writing Common Skill
• Learning Strategies Specialized Skill
• Systems Analysis Specialized Skill
• Negotiation Common Skill
• Instructing Specialized Skill
• Physics Specialized Skill
• Equipment Maintenance Specialized Skill
• Foreign Language Common Skill
• Psychology Specialized Skill
• Geography Specialized Skill
• Telecommunications Specialized Skill
• Biology Specialized Skill
• Installation Specialized Skill

Tools & technology

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

How to get in

Job zone

Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Education

Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Typical entry-level education

High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement

Related experience

Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Preparation level

SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Interest areas

Work styles

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

Wages and employment are reported by BLS for the broader occupation group this specialty belongs to (SOC 51-9195), not for the specialty alone.

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Related occupations

Part of the Advanced Manufacturing career cluster.

• Stonemasons · 47-2022.00 Compare →
• Tile and Stone Setters · 47-2044.00 Compare →
• Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic · 51-9195.00 Compare →
• Terrazzo Workers and Finishers · 47-2053.00 Compare →
• Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand · 51-9022.00 Compare →
• Furniture Finishers · 51-7021.00 Compare →
• Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters · 51-2041.00 Compare →
• Etchers and Engravers · 51-9194.00 Compare →
• Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters · 51-7011.00 Compare →
• Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic · 51-4192.00 Compare →
• Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing · 51-7042.00 Compare →
• Brickmasons and Blockmasons · 47-2021.00 Compare →

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

• O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
• BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
• AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
• ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
• IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
• Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
• Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

@misc{singulariki-role-51-9195-03,
  title  = {Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-9195-03}
}