Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers
Shape molten glass according to patterns.
$46,170 a year (for the broader BLS group this job sits in).
of the working time. Estimate.
- 29%
- 0%
- 71%
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, 1%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 12%. Today's estimate: 18%.
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 . 19 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and create glass objects, using blowpipes and artisans' hand tools and equipment.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 31% | 1.7 h50 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Develop sketches of glass products into blueprint specifications, applying knowledge of glass technology and glass blowing.Done daily by most who do it. | 22% | 3.3 h1.7 h to 6.7 h | 49%Half by now | |
| Blow tubing into specified shapes to prevent glass from collapsing, using compressed air or own breath, or blow and rotate gathers in molds or on boards to obtain final shapes.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 10% | 21 min10 min to 50 min | Stays with people | |
| Shape, bend, or join sections of glass, using paddles, pressing and flattening hand tools, or cork.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 7% | 17 min8 min to 38 min | Stays with people | |
| Heat glass to pliable stage, using gas flames or ovens and rotating glass to heat it uniformly.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 6% | 13 min7 min to 21 min | Stays with people | |
| Determine types and quantities of glass required to fabricate products.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 25 min13 min to 50 min | 100%Half by now | |
| Operate and maintain finishing machines to grind, drill, sand, bevel, decorate, wash, or polish glass or glass products.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 25 min13 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Inspect, weigh, and measure products to verify conformance to specifications, using instruments such as micrometers, calipers, magnifiers, or rulers.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 3% | 13 min7 min to 21 min | Stays with people | |
| Cut lengths of tubing to specified sizes, using files or cutting wheels.Done daily by most who do it. | 3% | 8 min4 min to 13 min | Stays with people | |
| Operate electric kilns that heat and mold glass sheets to the shape and curve of metal jigs.Done daily by most who do it. | 2% | 33 min17 min to 1.1 h | Stays with people | |
| Record manufacturing information, such as quantities, sizes, or types of goods produced.Done daily by most who do it. | 1.0% | 8 min4 min to 17 min | 100%Half by now | |
| Place rubber hoses on ends of tubing and charge tubing with gas.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 0.8% | 8 min4 min to 17 min | Stays with people |
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.
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic0% now, 0% by 2028
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders14% now, 14% by 2028
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic6% now, 6% by 2028
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders11% now, 11% by 2028
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders7% now, 7% by 2028
- Tool and Die Makers13% now, 35% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.