Mostly Resilient
Last Update: 8/30/2026
AI Resilience Score for Orderlies:
52.0%
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%).
Med
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%).
Med
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.
There are a reasonable number of sources for this result, but there is some disagreement between them.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forOrderlies
$38,290 median salary•7,200 annual openings•SOC Code: 31-1132.00
Orderlies are somewhat more resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 6 sources.
Orderlies are labeled "Mostly Resilient" because the most important parts of the job, like lifting patients, responding to emergencies, and comforting families, require human judgment, physical care, and empathy that robots simply cannot replicate. Yes, hospitals are adding robots to handle repetitive tasks like delivering supplies and disinfecting rooms, but real-world examples (like the Moxi robot that was retired after nurses said it got in the way and never saved meaningful time) show that full automation of this role is still far off.
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Orderlies are labeled "Mostly Resilient" because the most important parts of the job, like lifting patients, responding to emergencies, and comforting families, require human judgment, physical care, and empathy that robots simply cannot replicate. Yes, hospitals are adding robots to handle repetitive tasks like delivering supplies and disinfecting rooms, but real-world examples (like the Moxi robot that was retired after nurses said it got in the way and never saved meaningful time) show that full automation of this role is still far off.
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Orderlies
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Orderlies jobs?
Right now, the work orderlies do is being augmented more than replaced — hospitals are adding robots and AI tools to handle the most repetitive parts of the job, while people still do the hands-on patient work. Fleets of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are the biggest example. At Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, a fleet of 90 robots delivers food, supplies, medication, and even takes out the trash, navigating with 3D LiDAR maps and monitored from a control room in the hospital's basement.
Similar logistics platforms are rolling out industry-wide; GMEX Robotics announced an upgraded hospital logistics robot in April 2026 [1] designed to "streamline the transport, dispatch, and handling of medical materials." Analysts note that the hospital logistics robotics market was valued between $1.5 and $3.9 billion in 2024 with projections reaching up to $18.4 billion by 2033, and robots are cutting nurses' supply-related workload by 15–20%. Disinfection is also being automated — autonomous UV-C wiping robots have been tested successfully in real hospital environments [2].
But full replacement is still far off. The most human parts of the job — lifting patients, responding to emergencies, and comforting families — resist automation. A nurses' union report describes how Moxi, an AI-powered robot at MultiCare hospitals, was retired after less than two years because nurses at Tacoma General and Good Samaritan said the robots were annoying, often got in the way, needed an escort between floors, and never delivered meaningful time savings.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Orderlies?
Adoption is moving quickly for logistics but slowly for patient-facing tasks. The main accelerator is a labor crunch: the AHA has told HHS that hospitals see AI tools' potential to "improve outcomes, increase access and reduce costs" [3], and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects healthcare support occupations to grow 12.4% from 2024–34 [4] — the fastest of any group — meaning hospitals will keep hiring humans even as they add robots. The economic case is real too: John Snow Labs reports that each TUG robot replaces 3–4 full-time equivalents and delivers $180,000 to $300,000 in annual savings.
Slower factors include cost, safety, and worker acceptance. The AHA's own perspective urges policymakers to balance flexibility with "the right policy guardrails to ensure patient safety" [3], and researchers building next-generation systems in Nature's Scientific Reports emphasize path optimization and safety in hospital wards [5] as still-open engineering challenges. So if you're considering this career, the short version is: expect robot coworkers doing the running-around, and expect your value to grow around the empathy, judgment, and physical care they can't provide.
Sources
Will AI replace Orderlies?
No. We don't think AI will replace Orderlies, though we do expect the job to change.
Robots are already handling a lot of the running-around. Autonomous mobile robots now deliver supplies, food, and medication through hospital hallways, and disinfection robots are being tested in real clinical settings [2]. The logistics side of the job is clearly shifting. But the most human parts, lifting patients, responding to emergencies, and offering calm reassurance to frightened families, are still well beyond what any robot can reliably do. That balance is reflected in our 52.0% AI Resilience Score for this role.
The job market picture supports staying in this field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects healthcare support occupations to grow 12.4% from 2024 to 2034, the fastest of any group [4]. Hospitals are adding robots because they are short-staffed, not because they want fewer humans. The American Hospital Association has also pushed for policy guardrails to protect patient safety as AI tools expand [3], which signals that full automation is not on the near-term horizon.
If you are considering this career, think of the robots as coworkers handling the repetitive logistics. Your value will grow around the judgment, physical care, and human presence that no machine has figured out yet.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Orderlies
These articles highlight the evolving landscape for orderlies amidst AI advancements. For instance, the AI ordering tool for restaurants shows how technology can streamline operations, potentially leading to more efficient workflows in healthcare settings as well. Additionally, Canada’s growing demand for nurse aides and orderlies underscores job stability in this field, even as automation rises. Understanding these trends can empower future orderlies to embrace technology, ensuring they remain resilient and adaptable in their careers.
Startup Orderly pitches AI ordering tool to restaurants to cut labor costs
bworldonline.com • 4/8/2026
By Almira Louise S. Martinez, Reporter. ORDERLY, an artificial intelligence (AI) voice-ordering system, is helping restaurants streamline...
China’s 5-year plan emphasises ‘orderly’ AI development amid market volatility
www.scmp.com • 3/5/2026
Beijing has emphasised the safe and orderly development of artificial intelligence amid growing global anxiety about the disruptive impact...
PartsTrader launches AI platform to manage parts ordering
www.repairerdrivennews.com • 12/10/2025
PartsTrader says it has launched a next-generation, AI-enabled parts procurement platform in response to marketplace challenges,...
How To Immigrate To Canada As A Nurse Aide Or Orderly
immigration.ca • 11/27/2023
Canada's shortage of nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates is expected to only grow over the coming eight years and provide...
Growth trends for selected occupations considered at risk from automation
www.bls.gov • 7/13/2022
Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics have led to substantial concern that large-scale job losses are imminent.
More Career Info
Career: Orderlies
They assist in hospitals by moving patients, maintaining cleanliness, and ensuring supplies are ready, helping the medical team care for patients efficiently.
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Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$38,290
Jobs (2025)
52,800
Growth (2025-35)
+4.0%
Annual Openings
7,200
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
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
Restrain patients to prevent violence or injury or to assist physicians or nurses to administer treatments.
2
Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation.
3
Provide physical support to patients to assist them to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
4
Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
5
Respond to emergency situations, such as emergency medical calls, security calls, or fire alarms.
6
Turn or reposition bedridden patients, alone or with assistance, to prevent bedsores.
7
Change soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains.
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.
