Rankings β†’ Will AI Replace…

Will AI Replace Helpers--Production Workers?

64/100 β€” High Risk
SOC 51-9198

πŸ’‘ Helpers--Production Workers have a composite risk score of 64/100 (Frey-Osborne probability: 66%, GenAI exposure: 42/100). With 167,490 workers in the US, this is one of the most AI-vulnerable occupations. Full occupation profile β†’

🎯 The Verdict

Likely for many tasks. The role will look very different in 5–10 years.

With 167,490 workers and a median wage of $38K,helpers--production workers represent a significant portion of the US workforce. Their GenAI exposure index is 42%, meaning a minority of their core tasks overlap with current generative AI capabilities.

Risk Score

64/100

Employment

167,490

Median Wage

$38K

GenAI Exposure

42%

⚠️ Top Risk Factors

1.

Industrial robotics replacing manual assembly tasks

2.

Predictive maintenance reducing manual inspection roles

3.

Smart factory scheduling and production optimization

4.

AI quality inspection via computer vision systems

πŸ›‘οΈ Tasks AI Can't Easily Replace

βœ“

Coordinating workflow across diverse production teams

βœ“

Setup and calibration of custom production runs

βœ“

Handling non-standard materials and configurations

πŸ”„ Career Transition Paths

Related occupations with lower AI risk and high skills overlap:

Engineers

53% skills overlap Β· $106K median wage

20/100

First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors

63% skills overlap Β· $62K median wage

25/100

Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers

77% skills overlap Β· $68K median wage

33/100

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Will AI completely replace helpers--production workers?

Likely for many tasks. The role will look very different in 5–10 years.

What is the AI risk score for helpers--production workers?

Helpers--Production Workers have a composite AI automation risk score of 64 out of 100, classified as "High Risk".

How many helpers--production workers are there in the US?

There are approximately 167,490 helpers--production workers employed in the United States.

What do helpers--production workers earn?

The median annual wage for helpers--production workers is $38K.

What skills should helpers--production workers develop?

Focus on tasks AI can't easily replicate: coordinating workflow across diverse production teams, setup and calibration of custom production runs, handling non-standard materials and configurations. These human-centric skills will become more valuable as routine tasks are automated.