Potters, Manufacturing
Machines can already do 20% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 59%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Potters, Manufacturing in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 20% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2033, and 59% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 33,190 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $46,170 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 66% for contact with people.
- Also called: Clay Mixer, Glazer, Jigger Artisan, Jigger Machine Operator.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raise and shape clay into wares, such as vases and pitchers, on revolving wheels, using hands, fingers, and thumbs | 13% | 20% to 60% | |
| Mix and apply glazes to pottery pieces, using tools, such as spray guns | 10% | 20% to 60% | |
| Operate gas or electric kilns to fire pottery pieces | 8% | 20% to 60% | |
| Press thumbs into centers of revolving clay to form hollows, and press on the inside and outside of emerging clay cylinders with hands and fingers, gradually raising and shaping clay to desired forms and sizes | 8% | 20% to 60% | |
| Smooth surfaces of finished pieces, using rubber scrapers and wet sponges | 6% | 20% to 60% | |
| Prepare work for sale or exhibition, and maintain relationships with retail, pottery, art, and resource networks that can facilitate sale or exhibition of work | 5% | 20% to 60% | |
| Operate pug mills to blend and extrude clay | 5% | 20% to 60% | |
| Design clay forms and molds, and decorations for forms | 5% | 35% to 65% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills potters, manufacturing use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Floral Designers53% of tasks by 2035 · US median $37,360
- Medical Appliance Technicians57% of tasks by 2035 · US median $48,030
- Costume Attendants51% of tasks by 2035 · US median $50,400
- Dancers33% of tasks by 2035
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Potters, Manufacturing?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2033. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of potters, manufacturing?
Machines can do 20% of the tasks of potters, manufacturing today and 59% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 51-9195.05 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Potters, Manufacturing: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/potters-manufacturing/