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AI exposure Transportation and material moving

Will AI replace laborers and freight?

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand. US occupation 53-7062.

0.0%

of the time laborers and freight spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of laborers and freight's working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.

Ranked 346 of 756 US occupations. No AI use seen in the work yet, along with 410 other occupations.No handover started yet, along with 410 other occupations.

Average US job 7.7%

Among the least exposed jobs there are.Still waiting for liberation.

What AI already does for laborers and freightWhat laborers and freight no longer do alone

O*NET lists 26 tasks for laborers and freight. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

26 of the 26 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.Core task
  • Clean, inspect, or lubricate recyclable collection equipment or perform routine maintenance or minor repairs on recycling equipment, such as star gears, finger sorters, destoners, belts, and grinders.Core task
  • Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected.Core task
  • 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.Core task
  • Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, power lifts, or front-end loaders to load bales, bundles, or other heavy items onto trucks for shipping to smelters or other recycled materials processing facilities.Core task
  • Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs.Core task
Show the other 20
  • Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.Core task
  • Sort metals to separate high-grade metals, such as copper, brass, and aluminum, for recycling.Core task
  • Adjust controls to guide, position, or move equipment, such as cranes, booms, or cameras.
  • Attach identifying tags to containers or mark them with identifying information.
  • Attach slings, hooks, or other devices to lift cargo and guide loads.
  • Carry needed tools or supplies from storage or trucks and return them after use.
  • Clean materials, such as metals, according to recycling requirements.
  • Collect and sort recyclable construction materials, such as concrete, drywall, plastics, or wood, into containers.
  • Collect recyclable materials from curbside for delivery to designated facilities.
  • Connect electrical equipment to power sources so that it can be tested before use.
  • Deposit recoverable materials into chutes or place materials on conveyor belts.
  • Extract chemicals from discarded appliances, such as air conditioners or refrigerators, using specialized machinery, such as refrigerant recovery equipment.
  • Install protective devices, such as bracing, padding, or strapping, to prevent shifting or damage to items being transported.
  • Operate automated refuse or manual recycling collection vehicles.
  • Operate balers to compress recyclable materials into bundles or bales.
  • Operate processing equipment, such as fiber-sorters and grinders, to sort, crush, or grind recyclable materials.
  • Pack containers and re-pack damaged containers.
  • Record logs of recycled materials or waste chemicals removed from products.
  • Record numbers of units handled or moved, using daily production sheets or work tickets.
  • Sort cargo before loading and unloading.

How that compares

Among the 44 transportation and material moving occupations, laborers and freight rank 23. The group averages 0.6%, and its most exposed job is Passenger Attendants at 11.7%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers 0.0%
  2. 346Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education 0.0%
  3. 346Labor Relations Specialists 0.0%

What this does and does not mean

Exposure is observed use, not a forecast. Anthropic maps work conversations with Claude onto the tasks O*NET lists for each job and asks, of the tasks AI could speed up, which are actually being used for at work. A use that does the task outright counts in full and a use that assists a person counts half. The task scores are averaged into the occupation figure by the share of time spent on each task.

A high figure means AI is already part of how this work gets done. It does not mean anyone has been replaced. Anthropic's own reading of the labour market finds no systematic rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting exposed jobs.No measurable rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting these jobs. Gap years for everyone. Labor market impacts, 5 March 2026.

Task list and titles from O*NET 31.0 by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Scores from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Checked 1 November 2026. How the ranking works.