Jobs in warehousing and storage have an average Still needs a human score of 79.7 out of 100 (higher is safer), 5.7 points above the average for all jobs of 74.0 and 3rd of 37 among the sectors (1st is least exposed). The largest job here is stockers and order fillers (435,000 workers, 79/100 ↑ safer), and of the jobs more common here than across the economy, order clerks is the most exposed (59/100 ↑ safer).
79.7/100↑ safer
2.3%
10.4%
+2.0%
How the work here could shift
The share of workers in this sector whose job would sit in each band, from today to 2060.
Today
47%
of workers in this sector are in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
0% are in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2045
5%
of workers in this sector would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
38% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
By 2060
5%
of workers in this sector would still be in jobs that mostly need a person (our top band, Nah.)
86% would be in jobs AI could largely do (Largely.)
Each job's score moves towards the bottom band (Largely: AI could largely do the job) by the year it could be largely automated, slowly at first and faster later, as adoption usually goes. Each job is run as ten scenarios across its replacement range, so every figure mixes early and late outcomes. The model stops at 2060. How the timeline works
Will AI replace the job?Largely.Mostly.Partly.A little.Nah.
Show the data
| Year | Largely | Mostly | Partly | A little | Nah |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today (2026) | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.3% | 51.1% | 46.5% |
| 2030 | 0.0% | 0.9% | 11.1% | 52.2% | 35.8% |
| 2035 | 5.5% | 7.7% | 31.5% | 48.1% | 7.3% |
| 2040 | 16.0% | 27.2% | 34.1% | 18.0% | 4.7% |
| 2045 | 38.3% | 33.6% | 20.2% | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| 2050 | 59.4% | 26.9% | 5.8% | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| 2055 | 79.5% | 12.6% | 0.0% | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| 2060 | 86.3% | 5.8% | 0.0% | 3.3% | 4.7% |
The largest jobs in warehousing and storage
| # | Job | Still needs a human | Evidence | Could be largely automated | Workers in the sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2044–2060+ | 434,900 |
| 2 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 84↑ saferAI replace? Nah.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2044–2060+ | 411,400 |
| 3 | Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 88↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 272,400 |
| 4 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 79↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2044–2060+ | 88,800 |
| 5 | Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | 70↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2036–2056 | 84,600 |
| 6 | Packers and Packagers, Hand | 86↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 70,700 |
| 7 | First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand | 71↑ saferAI replace? A little.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2043–2060+ | 32,550 |
| 8 | Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 31,200 |
| 9 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 67↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2047 | 22,100 |
| 10 | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | 67↑ saferAI replace? A little.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2036–2049 | 20,400 |
Common jobs here that AI can do most of
| # | Job | Still needs a human | Evidence | Could be largely automated | Workers in the sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Customer Service Representatives | 51↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2041 | 20,000 |
| 2 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 54↑ saferAI replace? Partly.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2034–2042 | 2,800 |
| 3 | Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 54↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2042 | 3,000 |
| 4 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 57↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2034–2044 | 5,600 |
| 5 | Order Clerks | 59↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2035–2044 | 4,400 |
| 6 | Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | 59↑ saferAI replace? Partly. | D | 2035–2045 | 2,900 |
| 7 | Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 60↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2046 | 3,900 |
| 8 | Human Resources Specialists | 61↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2045 | 8,000 |
| 9 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 61↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2047 | 6,000 |
| 10 | Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | 62↑ saferAI replace? A little. | D | 2035–2046 | 3,600 |
Common jobs here that most need a human
| # | Job | Still needs a human | Evidence | Could be largely automated | Workers in the sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 88↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 272,400 |
| 2 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 87↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 6,900 |
| 3 | Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 86↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 14,300 |
| 4 | Packers and Packagers, Hand | 86↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 70,700 |
| 5 | Machine Feeders and Offbearers | 85↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2044–2060+ | 6,000 |
| 6 | Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | 85↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 2,800 |
| 7 | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 84↑ saferAI replace? Nah.workers of 2 related jobs | D | 2044–2060+ | 411,400 |
| 8 | Food Batchmakers | 84↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 1,900 |
| 9 | Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 83↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2046–2060+ | 31,200 |
| 10 | Maintenance Workers, Machinery | 82↑ saferAI replace? Nah. | D | 2045–2060+ | 2,200 |
Related sectors: Transportation and warehousing, Trucking, Ecommerce and online retail
How this is worked out
- The average weights every job's Still needs a human score by how many people do it in this sector, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' industry employment data. Jobs cover 99.5% of the sector's employment.
- Job scores are national: an accountant in retail scores the same as an accountant anywhere. The sector figure reflects its mix of jobs, not how its employers use AI; the Census figure shows that.