Rankings β†’ Will AI Replace…

Will AI Replace Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?

54/100 β€” Elevated
SOC 51-9196

πŸ’‘ Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders have a composite risk score of 54/100 (Frey-Osborne probability: 67%, GenAI exposure: 10/100). With 96,950 workers in the US, this occupation faces moderate but manageable AI pressure. Full occupation profile β†’

🎯 The Verdict

Possible. Significant task automation is underway β€” workers should actively upskill.

With 96,950 workers and a median wage of $49K,paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders represent a significant portion of the US workforce. Their GenAI exposure index is 10%, meaning a minority of their core tasks overlap with current generative AI capabilities.

Risk Score

54/100

Employment

96,950

Median Wage

$49K

GenAI Exposure

10%

⚠️ Top Risk Factors

1.

Industrial robotics replacing manual assembly tasks

2.

Cobots handling repetitive material handling tasks

3.

AI quality inspection via computer vision systems

4.

Predictive maintenance reducing manual inspection roles

πŸ›‘οΈ Tasks AI Can't Easily Replace

βœ“

Coordinating workflow across diverse production teams

βœ“

Quality judgment requiring tactile and visual inspection

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

72% skills overlap Β· $68K median wage

33/100

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Will AI completely replace paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders?

Possible. Significant task automation is underway β€” workers should actively upskill.

What is the AI risk score for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders?

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders have a composite AI automation risk score of 54 out of 100, classified as "Elevated".

How many paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders are there in the US?

There are approximately 96,950 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders employed in the United States.

What do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders earn?

The median annual wage for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders is $49K.

What skills should paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders develop?

Focus on tasks AI can't easily replicate: coordinating workflow across diverse production teams, quality judgment requiring tactile and visual inspection, 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.