Will AI replace laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 4h 31m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The other 3h 29m (44%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 1.8% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

None of this job's tasks show regular AI use yet. That can mean the work is hands-on or in person, or simply that it rarely comes up in AI usage data.

For some tasks, yes. Robots have done 3 of this job's tasks in workplaces like this one, about 4h 31m of a typical shift. 8 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here.

• Move freight, stock, or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships, or containers, by hand or using trucks, tractors, or other equipment. (4h 13m a shift; e.g. Fox Robotics FoxBot autonomous forklift, in use)
• Carry needed tools or supplies from storage or trucks and return them after use. (13m a shift; e.g. Moxi (Diligent Robotics), in use)
• Adjust controls to guide, position, or move equipment, such as cranes, booms, or cameras. (6m a shift; e.g. Morgan Automation automated coil-handling crane system (with Siemens drives/PLCs), in use)

3h 29m of a typical shift, or 44%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Sort cargo before loading and unloading. (51m a shift)
• Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs. (32m a shift)
• Pack containers and re-pack damaged containers. (32m a shift)
• Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected. (19m a shift)
• Install protective devices, such as bracing, padding, or strapping, to prevent shifting or damage to items being transported. (19m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 86% use their hands on tools, objects or controls more than half the time
• 84% work in very hot or cold conditions at least weekly
• 76% work outdoors in all weather every day

We track 8 sourced company moves that affect this job. Most recent:

• Oct 8, 2026: FAW-Volkswagen and UBTECH test humanoid robots for factory logistics (Pilot)
• Jun 29, 2026: BMW plans to use Figure 03 humanoid for parts sequencing at Spartanburg (Announced)
• Jun 22, 2026: Yum China uses automated guided vehicles in its cold storage warehouses (Rolling out)

On Indeed, job postings in the Loading & Stocking sector are at 109% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 12.4% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 341,000 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $40,240 a year ($19.35 an hour), 21% below the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $31,270 and $55,140 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 3 million jobs in 2035. It expects about 341,000 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 3 million people in the U.S., roughly 1.9% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 8th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 3 million in 2035.

The most common requirement is a high school diploma: about 89% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 2 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: high school diploma, some training. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Coordination
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 3h 29m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Apple Safari, Autodesk AutoCAD, Google Docs, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Excel

Yes. Occupational experts recently added these to the official task list, a sign of how the work itself is shifting. New tasks aren't rated for AI or robots yet:

• Inspect products for damage or leaks.

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Machine Feeders and Offbearers (3h 26m touched, $41k median pay)
• Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment (1h 11m touched, $36k median pay)
• Stockers and Order Fillers (1h 17m touched, $37k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 3 with robots in real deployments, 10 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.