Edit graphics and photos, using pixel or bitmap editing, airbrushing, masking, or image retouching.

“Edit graphics and photos, using pixel or bitmap editing, airbrushing, masking, or image retouching.” is a core task performed by Desktop Publishers. Among the occupation's 18 rated tasks, workers place it 5th by importance (#14 most important). About 90% of workers say it is relevant to their job.

This is a single occupation-specific task statement from O*NET. The figures below describe how central the task is to the job and what independent studies measure about AI and this kind of work — not a prediction that the task will be automated.

Work activities this task rolls up to

O*NET groups concrete tasks into broader work activities shared across many occupations.

• Process digital or online data. in Working with Computers

AI exposure

The OpenAI / Eloundou “GPTs are GPTs” study rates this task E2. Exposure with tools — software built on top of a language model (not the model alone) could cut the time by at least half.

Exposure measures whether a model could meaningfully speed the task up — it is an estimate of overlap with model capabilities, not a measure of whether the work will be done by software. The study's intermediate score (β) for this task is 0.50. Automation potential label: T3.

How AI is actually used on this kind of task

The Anthropic Economic Index observes how people actually use AI on tasks like this one across millions of real conversations.

• 0.007% share of AI-use records mapped to this task
• 43% of that use is work-related
• Most common interaction: task iteration
• Average autonomy of the AI: 3.3 (1–5; higher = more autonomous)
• 92% of interactions still needed a human in the loop

Observed AI use describes people choosing to use AI as a tool on this kind of task today. It is augmentation and assistance, not a measure of jobs replaced.

Working with AI vs. handing it off

Of the AI conversations mapped to this task, the split between people working alongside AI and people delegating the task to it.

How people interact with AI on this task

Other tasks in this occupation

• Operate desktop publishing software and equipment to design, lay out, and produce camera-ready copy. · importance 4.8
• Position text and art elements from a variety of databases in a visually appealing way to design print or web pages, using knowledge of type styles and size and layout patterns. · importance 4.5
• Check preliminary and final proofs for errors and make necessary corrections. · importance 4.4
• View monitors for visual representation of work in progress and for instructions and feedback throughout process, making modifications as necessary. · importance 4.4
• Enter text into computer keyboard and select the size and style of type, column width, and appropriate spacing for printed materials. · importance 4.4
• Prepare sample layouts for approval, using computer software. · importance 4.4
• Import text and art elements, such as electronic clip art or electronic files from photographs that have been scanned or produced with a digital camera, using computer software. · importance 4.3
• Transmit, deliver, or mail publication master to printer for production into film and plates. · importance 4.2
• Study layout or other design instructions to determine work to be done and sequence of operations. · importance 4.2
• Collaborate with graphic artists, editors and writers to produce master copies according to design specifications. · importance 4.2
• Select number of colors and determine color separations. · importance 4.0
• Convert various types of files for printing or for the Internet, using computer software. · importance 4.0
• Enter digitized data into electronic prepress system computer memory, using scanner, camera, keyboard, or mouse. · importance 4.0
• Enter data, such as coordinates of images and color specifications, into system to retouch and make color corrections. · importance 3.8

See all tasks on the Desktop Publishers page.

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
• Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic

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

@misc{singulariki-task-2822,
  title  = {Edit graphics and photos, using pixel or bitmap editing, airbrushing, masking, or image retouching.},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/tasks/task-2822}
}