Somewhat Resilient
Last Update: 8/30/2026
AI Resilience Score for Freight/Material Movers:
48.0%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
Med
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
High
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Low
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
Limited data sources are available, or existing sources show notable disagreement on the outlook for this occupation.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forLaborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
$40,240 median salary•340,500 annual openings•SOC Code: 53-7062.00
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand are somewhat less resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 6 sources.
This career is labeled "Somewhat Resilient" because automation is genuinely changing the work, but not wiping it out entirely. Robots are already handling a lot of the heavy lifting and repetitive sorting in warehouses, with over half of companies now using some form of warehouse robot, and giants like Amazon planning to reduce staffing needs significantly over the next decade.
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This career is labeled "Somewhat Resilient" because automation is genuinely changing the work, but not wiping it out entirely. Robots are already handling a lot of the heavy lifting and repetitive sorting in warehouses, with over half of companies now using some form of warehouse robot, and giants like Amazon planning to reduce staffing needs significantly over the next decade.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreAnalysis of Current AI Resilience
Freight/Material Movers
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Freight/Material Movers jobs?
If you've ever wondered whether robots are already helping — or replacing — the people who move boxes in warehouses, the honest answer is: yes, and it's happening faster than a few years ago. According to the 2026 Intralogistics Robotics Survey from Modern Materials Handling, 52% of companies now use one or more types of warehouse robots, and only 3% say they have no plans to adopt them — down from 9% the year before. The most common uses line up directly with what hand laborers do: order or case picking leads deployments at 57%, followed by heavy payload forked or tugger transport robots (32%), sortation robots (31%) and collaborative in-aisle picking (30%).
Amazon is the most visible example — leaked internal documents reported by The New York Times and summarized by Entrepreneur show the company expects robots to let it avoid hiring roughly 600,000 workers by 2033, saving about 30 cents per package [1], with its Shreveport, Louisiana facility already reducing staffing needs by 25% through automation. That said, much of today's AI is augmenting rather than replacing workers: Accenture research published in Logistics Management found that automation "is valued less for replacing workers than for amplifying human capability" [2], with safety scoring 66.8 out of 100 as a top driver — meaning robots often take the heaviest, most dangerous lifts while people handle judgment-heavy tasks.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Freight/Material Movers?
Adoption is speeding up, but there are real brakes too. On the "fast" side, labor is the biggest push: MMH's survey found that when asked to name the single most important factor for robotics, 67% of companies point to labor costs and 33% cite labor availability [3], and 45% of companies are increasing robotics budgets this year. Commercial AI options are also everywhere now — a Modern Materials Handling preview of the Automate 2026 show describes a market flooded with AI, robotics and humanoid demos [3].
On the "slow" side, warehouses still need humans for messy real-world tasks like assembling crates, handling odd-shaped items, and problem-solving. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics still projects overall employment of hand laborers and material movers to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 904,200 openings each year [4] — a huge number, largely because workers retire or move to other jobs. Social acceptance matters too: the World Economic Forum's June 2026 Human-Machine Collaboration Framework found that three in four industrial jobs are expected to evolve and around 40% of future industrial skills are new or emerging [5], which means workers who learn to run, troubleshoot, or team up with robots — not just lift boxes — will stay valuable.
The takeaway for a young person: this field is changing, but skills like adaptability, safety awareness, and comfort with tech are your best insurance.
Sources
Will AI replace Freight/Material Movers?
Not entirely. We think AI will take over some tasks, but not the whole job.
Warehouses are already changing fast. More than half of companies now use some form of warehouse robots, with order picking and heavy transport leading the way [3]. Amazon expects automation to reduce its need for hundreds of thousands of workers over the coming decade [1]. Those are real numbers, and we won't pretend otherwise. That's why we gave this role a 48.0% AI Resilience Score, placing it below average compared to most occupations.
But the full picture is more complicated. Robots are often deployed to handle the heaviest and most dangerous lifts, while people manage judgment-heavy tasks that machines still struggle with, like odd-shaped items, unexpected problems, and fast-changing priorities. Research in logistics finds that automation is valued more for amplifying human capability than for replacing workers outright [2]. The BLS still projects roughly 904,200 job openings per year in this field through 2035 [4], driven largely by turnover and retirement.
The workers who will do best here are the ones who get comfortable with the technology around them. Around 40% of future industrial skills are expected to be new or emerging [5], which means learning to work alongside robots is quickly becoming part of the job itself.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Freight/Material Movers
As AI and automation advance, careers in labor and freight moving face significant changes. The Senate report warns of nearly 100 million job losses, highlighting that roles with repetitive tasks, like those in this field, are particularly vulnerable. However, jobs that require human judgment and adaptability may remain safe. Generative AI could reshape logistics, emphasizing the need for workers to adapt and develop skills that AI cannot replicate, such as problem-solving and interpersonal communication. Embracing these changes can lead to a resilient career in an evolving landscape.
Nearly 100M jobs could be lost to AI, automation, Sanders warns
www.newsnationnow.com • 10/7/2025
A new Senate report estimates that nearly 100 million U.S. jobs could be destroyed by advances in artificial intelligence and automation...
Which Jobs Face the Highest Risk of Automation, and Which Ones Are Likely Safe?
www.digitalinformationworld.com • 7/20/2025
Manual, repetitive jobs with low judgment risk full automation; AI-resistant roles rely on empathy and complexity.
Adoption of generative AI will have different effects across jobs in the U.S. logistics workforce
equitablegrowth.org • 7/10/2025
Generative artificial intelligence promises to profoundly reshape labor markets, much like previous automation waves did, but with clear...
More Career Info
Career: Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
They move and organize goods in warehouses or stores, making sure items are in the right place for shipping or stocking.
Parent Careers
Similar Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$40,240
Jobs (2025)
2,940,300
Growth (2025-35)
+1.8%
Annual Openings
340,500
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-2035
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Assemble product containers or crates, using hand tools and precut lumber.
2
Pack containers and re-pack damaged containers.
3
Install protective devices, such as bracing, padding, or strapping, to prevent shifting or damage to items being transported.
4
Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected.
5
Attach slings, hooks, or other devices to lift cargo and guide loads.
6
Carry needed tools or supplies from storage or trucks and return them after use.
7
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.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
