Craft Artists
Create or reproduce handmade objects for sale and exhibition using a variety of techniques, such as welding, weaving, pottery, and needlecraft.
4,580 people do this job in the US. $46,080 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 24%
- 1%
- 75%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 10%. Today's estimate: 13%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 16 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Create functional or decorative objects by hand, using a variety of methods and materials.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 37% | 3.3 h50 min to 2.5 work days | Stays with people | |
| Cut, shape, fit, join, mold, or otherwise process materials, using hand tools, power tools, or machinery.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 20% | 2.5 h25 min to 1.3 work days | Stays with people | |
| Select materials for use based on strength, color, texture, balance, weight, size, malleability and other characteristics.Done daily by most who do it. | 8% | 38 min13 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Advertise products and work, using media such as internet advertising and brochures.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 7% | 1.7 h25 min to 4.2 h | 57%Half by now | |
| Develop concepts or creative ideas for craft objects.Done more than monthly by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 5% | 1.7 h25 min to 6.7 h | 43%Half by Nov 2026 | |
| Apply finishes to objects being crafted.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 4% | 50 min13 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Research craft trends, venues, and customer buying patterns to inspire designs and marketing strategies.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 4% | 3.3 h50 min to 6.7 h | 32%Half by Jan 2027 | |
| Create prototypes or models of objects to be crafted.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 4% | 3.3 h50 min to 1.7 work days | Stays with people | |
| Sketch or draw objects to be crafted.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 2% | 50 min13 min to 2.5 h | 79%Half by now | |
| Set specifications for materials, dimensions, and finishes.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 2% | 38 min17 min to 1.7 h | 98%Half by now | |
| Plan and attend craft shows to market products.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 2% | 1.7 work days6.7 h to 3.3 work days | Stays with people | |
| Develop product packaging, display, and pricing strategies.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 2% | 2.5 h50 min to 6.7 h | 46%Half by Oct 2026 |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers13% now, 25% by 2028
- Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators8% now, 40% by 2028
- Etchers and Engravers21% now, 21% by 2028
- Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers32% now, 52% by 2028
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers0% now, 0% by 2028
- Model Makers, Wood12% now, 18% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).