---
title: "Will AI Replace Warehouse Workers? (2026)"
description: "BLS rates warehouse workers' exposure to AI as low. What that means, which parts of the work AI touches, and the 2025–2035 outlook (+1.8% projected)."
canonical: "https://nuecareer.com/careers/will-ai-replace-warehouse-workers"
last-updated: "2026-10-15T08:19:32.066Z"
---

# Will AI Replace Warehouse Workers? (2026)

**Short answer:** Very unlikely. BLS rates warehouse workers among the occupations least exposed to AI, and most of the work is the kind current AI tools cannot do.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics places warehouse workers in its low AI exposure category, among the occupations least exposed to current AI. BLS projects employment to change by +1.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 340,500 openings a year.

| Measure | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BLS relative AI exposure | Low | BLS Employment Projections, AI exposure categories |
| NueCareer AI-resilience score | 57/100 | NueCareer analysis of O\*NET 31.0 Database |
| Projected employment change | +1.8% | BLS EP 2025–2035 |
| Openings a year | 340,500 | BLS EP 2025–2035 |
| Median annual wage | $40,240 | BLS OEWS May 2025 |

## Exposure categories

| BLS category | Occupations |
| --- | --- |
| Low (this job) | 203 |
| Moderate | 194 |
| High | 190 |
| Very high | 199 |

Exposure means AI could be or has been used to assist with or complete some of the work. BLS says it does not imply job loss, productivity gains, automation probability or wage effects. Method: https://www.bls.gov/emp/publications/ai-exposure-categories.htm

## What holds up

- Performing general physical activities: 3.9/5 (O\*NET work activity importance)
- Hands-on work with tools and objects: 4.5/5 (O\*NET work context)
- Handling and moving objects: 3.9/5 (O\*NET work activity importance)
- Working outdoors in all weather: 4.3/5 (O\*NET work context)

## What AI reaches first

- Repeating the same tasks: 4.1/5 (O\*NET work context)
- Repetitive motions: 3.9/5 (O\*NET work context)
- Getting information: 4.1/5 (O\*NET work activity importance)
- Being exact or highly accurate: 4.3/5 (O\*NET work context)

## O\*NET tasks

- 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.
- Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs.
- Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected.

## Related careers that are also low-exposure

- [Crane and Tower Operator](https://nuecareer.com/careers/crane-and-tower-operator): BLS exposure Low, median $68,080; [Will AI replace crane operators?](https://nuecareer.com/careers/will-ai-replace-crane-operators)
- [Ambulance Driver and Attendant, Except Emergency Medical Technicians](https://nuecareer.com/careers/ambulance-driver-and-attendant): BLS exposure Low, median $35,450
- [Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendant](https://nuecareer.com/careers/automotive-and-watercraft-service-attendant): BLS exposure Low, median $35,670; [Will AI replace automotive and watercraft service attendants?](https://nuecareer.com/careers/will-ai-replace-automotive-and-watercraft-service-attendants)
- [Sailor and Marine Oiler](https://nuecareer.com/careers/sailor-and-marine-oiler): BLS exposure Low, median $51,520
- [Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator](https://nuecareer.com/careers/industrial-truck-and-tractor-operator): BLS exposure Low, median $46,420; [Will AI replace forklift operators?](https://nuecareer.com/careers/will-ai-replace-forklift-operators)
- [Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment](https://nuecareer.com/careers/cleaner-of-vehicles-and-equipment): BLS exposure Low, median $35,830; [Will AI replace cleaners of vehicles and equipment?](https://nuecareer.com/careers/will-ai-replace-cleaners-of-vehicles-and-equipment)

## FAQ

**Will AI replace warehouse workers?**

Very unlikely. BLS rates warehouse workers among the occupations least exposed to AI, and most of the work is the kind current AI tools cannot do. BLS defines exposure as AI being able to assist with or complete some of the work, and says it does not imply job loss, productivity gains or wage effects. BLS projects employment to change by +1.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 340,500 openings a year.

**How exposed are warehouse workers to AI?**

BLS sorts 786 occupations into four relative categories: low, moderate, high and very high. Warehouse Workers are in the low category, alongside 202 other occupations. The categories combine five public measures of where AI could be or already is used, and they compare occupations with each other rather than giving an absolute risk.

**What parts of a laborer and freight, stock, and material mover, hand's job can AI do?**

In O\*NET's description of the work, the parts that overlap most with what AI handles well are repeating the same tasks, repetitive motions and getting information. The parts that hold up best are performing general physical activities, hands-on work with tools and objects and handling and moving objects. These come from O\*NET ratings of how important each activity is to the job, read through NueCareer's AI-resilience method.

**Is being a laborer and freight, stock, and material mover, hand a safe career from AI?**

On NueCareer's AI-resilience score, built from O\*NET work activities, warehouse workers score 57 out of 100, higher than 78% of the occupations we score. The job pays a median of $40,240 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). No job is fully safe from technological change, but the federal exposure category and the projected openings are the two numbers worth weighing.

**What careers similar to warehouse workers are less exposed to AI?**

Crane and Tower Operator (low exposure, $68,080 median), Ambulance Driver and Attendant, Except Emergency Medical Technicians (low exposure, $35,450 median), Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendant (low exposure, $35,670 median), Sailor and Marine Oiler (low exposure, $51,520 median). Each is also in the low category, and most are listed by O\*NET as related to the work.

Full profile: https://nuecareer.com/careers/laborer-and-freight-stock-and-material-mover-hand.

---

This bank includes information from the O\*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. NueCareer has transformed the data by joining it to BLS wage and projection data and deriving facet, personality-fit and AI-resilience scores. BLS and BEA data are public domain (17 U.S.C. §105).

O\*NET content is used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). How these figures are sourced and derived: https://nuecareer.com/careers/methodology