# Will production helpers be replaced by AI? Updated October 2026 Production helpers score 19 of 100 for AI exposure. 77% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do 3% today and speed up another 20%. - **3%** AI can do it - **20%** AI helps - **77%** Needs a person Low exposure Lower than 82% of the 923 occupations we scored. ## Task by task We graded 30 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 1 of them today, speeds up 6 and leaves 23 to people. | Task | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Record information, such as the number of products tested, meter readings, or dates and times of product production. Digital logging of counts, readings, and timestamps is routine. | 75% AI can do it | | Read gauges or charts, and record data obtained. Gauge reading can be automated, recording data is digital. | 55% AI helps | | Count finished products to determine if product orders are complete. Scanners and vision can count, person verifies completeness. | 45% AI helps | | Examine products to verify conformance to quality standards. Vision systems can flag defects, but person handles inspection. | 40% AI helps | | Measure amounts of products, lengths of extruded articles, or weights of filled containers to ensure conformance to specifications. Scales and sensors measure, software can record results. | 40% AI helps | ## How production helpers compare All occupations (923) Production (107) **Production helpers score 19**, marked by the dark line. Each dot is a score, darker where more occupations share it. The short marks show the averages, 37 for all occupations and 22 for production. ## Pay and outlook in the US Median pay $39,070 a year, May 2025 People employed 165,700 in the US, May 2025 Projected change in jobs \-8.2% from 2024 to 2034 ## Skills to build - Check order completeness against records in SAP software - Log gauge readings and counts in Microsoft Excel - Rig loads with slings, ropes, and cables safely - Clean and lubricate production machinery on schedule - Verify flagged defects during product inspection - Mark parts with label printer identification tags ## Safer roles nearby 5 related occupations with lower scores. - [Maintenance helpers16 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/maintenance-helpers/) - [Mining helpers11 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/mining-helpers/) - [Carpenter helpers8 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/carpenter-helpers/) - [Mason helpers12 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/mason-helpers/) - [Painter helpers9 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/painter-helpers/) ## Questions about production helpers and AI Will AI replace production helpers? Partly. About 2 in 10 of a production helper's working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly recording counts and readings. Lifting, rigging, and cleaning stay with people because they need hands on heavy goods and machines. Which tasks will AI take from production helpers? Recording counts, meter readings, and timestamps is the most exposed task, with an exposure score of 75, because digital logging handles it without a person. Reading gauges and charts comes next at 55, since gauge reading can be automated and the data goes straight into digital records. Scanners also count finished products, at 45. Which production helper tasks stay human? Lifting raw materials and finished goods stays with people, with an exposure score of 3, because heavy loads need manual handling or power hoists. Attaching slings, ropes, or cables to pipes and bundles also scores 3, since rigging errors create safety risk. Washing equipment and cleaning work areas scores 4 because it needs hands on machines. How can production helpers stay valuable? Learn to check scanner counts against order records in SAP software, since a person still confirms completeness. Keep gauge readings and defect flags logged in Microsoft Excel so the production lead can review exceptions. Get trained and signed off on sling and hoist rigging, the physical work that stays with qualified people. ## Related jobs - [Maintenance mechanics20 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/maintenance-mechanics/) - [Packers19 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/packers/) - [Warehouse workers17 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/warehouse-workers/) - [Woodworking machine operators16 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/woodworking-machine-operators/) ## Next steps for production helpers - ### Check your job Your job title is a rough guide. Your actual tasks decide your score. Paste your job description or CV and see which of your tasks AI can do. [Check your job](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/ai-exposure-checker/) [Check your CV](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/cv-checker/) ### Check which roles in your team AI can take on We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first. [Book an AI audit](https://www.aigentcy.com/audit/) ## Related topics - [**Jobs AI can't replace**Cement masons score lowest, at 8.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-cant-replace/) - [**Jobs most at risk from AI**Proofreaders score highest, at 76.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-most-exposed-to-ai/) - [**High-paying jobs with low AI exposure**Radiologists earn a median $420,860 and score 46.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/high-paying-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Entry-level jobs with low AI exposure**Cement masons need little prior training and score 8.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/entry-level-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Jobs AI speeds up the most**For natural sciences managers, AI speeds up 96% of task time.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-speeds-up/) - [**AI and jobs in Malta**15 iGaming roles graded task by task.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/malta/) - [**Skills that keep work human**The skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/skills/) - [**Jobs A to Z**Every job we publish, by first letter.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs/) - [**AI exposure by industry**Average scores for 22 occupation groups.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industries/) - [**Write a CV screening software can read**How applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/cv-screening-guide/) - [**AI for businesses**The tasks to automate first in each team and industry.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/) - [**How we score AI exposure**The grading, the weights and every source.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/) Occupation data from the O\*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and modified by Aigentcy. O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Wage, employment and projection data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. EU occupation names from ESCO, European Commission. AI usage signals from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY) and Microsoft Research (CC BY 4.0). [Methodology and sources](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/). Scores © Aigentcy. Quote them with a link to the page.