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Creative & Media · Updated Aug 2026

Set and Exhibit Designers

Design special exhibits and sets for film, video, television, and theater productions. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
AI Exposure
71/100
High

How much of this occupation’s work can be materially affected by current AI systems.

Replacement Risk
60/100
High

How likely exposure is to translate into reduced human demand.

Includes provisional estimates for AI adoption pressure and labour-market resilience. How this is measured

Evidence quality
Confidence83/100
Task coverage87%

Confidence reflects task coverage, mapping and capability-evidence quality, and how much of the score rests on provisional inputs.

Task-level evidence

What is driving the score?

Occupation scores are built from the task mix—not a single prediction about a job title.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
TaskImportanceAI impactExposure
Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations.High
79
Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed.High
79
Attend rehearsals and production meetings to obtain and share information related to sets.High
81
Read scripts to determine location, set, and design requirements.High
80
Prepare preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, including detailed construction, layout, and material specifications, and diagrams relating to aspects such as special effects or lighting.High
78
Submit plans for approval, and adapt plans to serve intended purposes, or to conform to budget or fabrication restrictions.High
79
Research architectural and stylistic elements appropriate to the time period to be depicted, consulting experts for information, as necessary.High
78
Collaborate with those in charge of lighting and sound so that those production aspects can be coordinated with set designs or exhibit layouts.High
78
Select set props, such as furniture, pictures, lamps, and rugs.High
81
Confer with clients and staff to gather information about exhibit space, proposed themes and content, timelines, budgets, materials, or promotion requirements.High
57
Design and build scale models of set designs, or miniature sets used in filming backgrounds or special effects.High
80
Direct and coordinate construction, erection, or decoration activities to ensure that sets or exhibits meet design, budget, and schedule requirements.Medium
77
Assign staff to complete design ideas and prepare sketches, illustrations, and detailed drawings of sets, or graphics and animation.Medium
71
Estimate set- or exhibit-related costs, including materials, construction, and rental of props or locations.Medium
77
Select and purchase lumber and hardware necessary for set construction.Medium
81
Plan for location-specific issues, such as space limitations, traffic flow patterns, and safety concerns.Medium
78
Examine objects to be included in exhibits to plan where and how to display them.Medium
39
Observe sets during rehearsals in order to ensure that set elements do not interfere with performance aspects such as cast movement and camera angles.High
24
Inspect installed exhibits for conformance to specifications and satisfactory operation of special-effects components.Medium
32
Most exposed

Where AI can do more

Routine, digitized, and highly repeatable tasks face the greatest pressure.

  1. Attend rehearsals and production meetings to obtain and share information related to sets.81
  2. Select set props, such as furniture, pictures, lamps, and rugs.81
  3. Select and purchase lumber and hardware necessary for set construction.81
  4. Read scripts to determine location, set, and design requirements.80
Hardest to automate

Where people still matter

These tasks score lowest on automation feasibility—physical presence, judgement, accountability and real-world variability all resist end-to-end automation.

  1. Observe sets during rehearsals in order to ensure that set elements do not interfere with performance aspects such as cast movement and camera angles.01
  2. Inspect installed exhibits for conformance to specifications and satisfactory operation of special-effects components.02
  3. Examine objects to be included in exhibits to plan where and how to display them.03
  4. Confer with clients and staff to gather information about exhibit space, proposed themes and content, timelines, budgets, materials, or promotion requirements.04
  5. Assign staff to complete design ideas and prepare sketches, illustrations, and detailed drawings of sets, or graphics and animation.05
Where else this work leads

Related occupations

Occupations O*NET links to this one. Relatedness reflects shared work, not a claim that these roles are safer.

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Beyond AI capability

Adoption and labour-market outlook

Structural factors are kept separate from raw capability so you can see what actually resists automation. Adoption pressure and labour-market resilience are still provisional models—25% of this occupation’s replacement-risk weight rests on them.

Human dependency63
Physical dependency38
Adoption pressure42
Labour-market resilience58
Methodology & sources

O*NET 30.3 occupational data interpreted through the JobsVsAI capability, automation and structural-constraint models.

Confidence83/100
CalculatedAug 21, 2026
Read methodology →