Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing
Machines can already do 22% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 61%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 22% 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 61% 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 60% for contact with people.
- Also called: Carver, Cutter, Granite Cutter, Granite Stone Cutter.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut, shape, and finish rough blocks of building or monumental stone, according to diagrams or patterns | 13% | 20% to 60% | |
| Guide nozzles over stone, following stencil outlines, or chip along marks to create designs or to work surfaces down to specified finishes | 11% | 20% to 60% | |
| Shape, trim, or touch up roughed-out designs with appropriate tools to finish carvings | 10% | 20% to 60% | |
| 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 | 10% | 20% to 60% | |
| Verify depths and dimensions of cuts or carvings to ensure adherence to specifications, blueprints, or models, using measuring instruments | 8% | 20% to 60% | |
| Drill holes and cut or carve moldings and grooves in stone, according to diagrams and patterns | 8% | 20% to 60% | |
| 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 | 8% | 20% to 60% | |
| Carve rough designs freehand or by chipping along marks on stone, using mallets and chisels or pneumatic tools | 7% | 20% to 60% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills stone cutters and carvers, 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.
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials56% of tasks by 2035 · US median $35,060
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians56% of tasks by 2035 · US median $39,460
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic59% of tasks by 2035 · US median $46,170
- Furniture Finishers50% of tasks by 2035 · US median $44,540
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Stone Cutters and Carvers, 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 stone cutters and carvers, manufacturing?
Machines can do 22% of the tasks of stone cutters and carvers, manufacturing today and 61% 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 51-9195.03 (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). Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/stone-cutters-and-carvers-manufacturing/