# AI in manufacturing: which tasks to automate first Updated October 2026 Across the 13 million US jobs in manufacturing, the work scores 35 of 100 for AI exposure, weighted by how many people do each job. AI can take on about 621 hours a year per full-time person, 31% of a working year. The task that frees the most hours across the industry is to read work orders or receive oral instructions, about 106 hours a year for each person who does it. AI exposure, weighted by employment 35 out of 100 Moderate exposure Hours AI can take on 621 hours a year per full-time person Task time AI can do today 13% AI speeds up another 43% ## Tasks to automate first The 15 tasks where AI can take on the most hours across manufacturing: how exposed each task is, how much of the job it takes and how many people do that job. Hours are per person in the role that does the task. [How we score each task](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/). | Task and who does it | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs. AI reads written orders; oral instructions still need a person. Done by warehouse workers. | 40% AI helps 106 hours a year for each person in the role | | Keep records of employees' attendance and hours worked. Timekeeping systems already record attendance and hours digitally. Done by production supervisors. | 72% AI can do it 77 hours a year for each person in the role | | Maintain operations data, such as time, production, and cost records, and prepare management reports of production results. Production and cost records and standard management reports are routine digital work. Done by production supervisors. | 75% AI can do it 72 hours a year for each person in the role | | Calculate labor and equipment requirements and production specifications, using standard formulas. Standard formulas for labor and equipment needs are easily computed by software. Done by production supervisors. | 72% AI can do it 71 hours a year for each person in the role | | Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, or shipping orders, to route materials. Bills of lading and shipping orders are routine, template-driven documents. Done by shipping clerks. | 72% AI can do it 141 hours a year for each person in the role | ## What stays with people 44% of the task time across these roles needs a person, and the output of the rest still needs someone to check it. The tasks below take the most of that time. - **13%** AI can do it - **43%** AI helps - **44%** Needs a person - Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected. Warehouse workers, 15% exposed - 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. Warehouse workers, 8% exposed - Install protective devices, such as bracing, padding, or strapping, to prevent shifting or damage to items being transported. Warehouse workers, 5% exposed - Enforce safety and sanitation regulations. Production supervisors, 15% exposed - Sort cargo before loading and unloading. Warehouse workers, 12% exposed ## Adoption path Start with the tasks where AI helps a person, then automate the routine ones, then give whole workflows to agents with a person approving the output. 1. ### Quick wins Planners, buyers and quality staff get report drafts and supplier summaries from an approved assistant. Example: Read work orders or receive oral instructions. AI helps with 40% of the time. [AI governance](https://www.aigentcy.com/services/ai-governance/) 2. ### Workflow automation Order entry, production paperwork, quality records and stock alerts run as automations. Example: Keep records of employees' attendance and hours worked. AI can do 72% of it. [Process automation](https://www.aigentcy.com/services/process-automation/) 3. ### Agents An agent watches orders and stock levels, proposes purchase orders and flags delays for a planner. 8 of the 15 tasks on this page are ones AI can do end to end, the work an agent takes on. [Private AI](https://www.aigentcy.com/services/private-ai/) ## Teams in this industry The business functions in manufacturing, by share of the workforce, with each one's exposure. 1. [Operations and admin, 6.2% of the workforce, score **52**](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/operations/) 2. [Procurement and supply chain, 4.4% of the workforce, score **52**](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/procurement/) 3. [Sales, 4.3% of the workforce, score **57**](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/sales/) 4. [IT and software, 3.3% of the workforce, score **58**](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/it/) 5. [Finance and accounting, 2.4% of the workforce, score **60**](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/finance/) ## Roles in manufacturing The 20 largest roles, each linked to its task-by-task score. Shares come from the BLS industry staffing estimates, May 2025. Of the roles with at least 2% of the jobs, sales representatives score highest at 63, warehouse workers lowest at 17. 1. [Production supervisors, 4.5% of the workforce, score **43** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/production-supervisors/) 2. [Warehouse workers, 3.6% of the workforce, score **17** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/warehouse-workers/) 3. [Quality inspectors, 3.5% of the workforce, score **40** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/quality-inspectors/) 4. [Packaging machine operators, 2.7% of the workforce, score **19** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/packaging-machine-operators/) 5. [Welders, 2.5% of the workforce, score **19** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/welders/) 6. [General managers, 2.3% of the workforce, score **44** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/general-managers/) 7. [Industrial engineers, 2.3% of the workforce, score **55** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industrial-engineers/) 8. [Machinists, 2.2% of the workforce, score **28** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/machinists/) 9. [Industrial machinery mechanics, 2.1% of the workforce, score **31** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industrial-machinery-mechanics/) 10. [Shipping clerks, 2.1% of the workforce, score **47** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/shipping-clerks/) 11. [Sales representatives, 2.1% of the workforce, score **63** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/sales-representatives/) 12. [Maintenance workers, 1.9% of the workforce, score **21** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/maintenance-workers/) 13. [Industrial production managers, 1.7% of the workforce, score **44** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industrial-production-managers/) 14. [Forklift operators, 1.6% of the workforce, score **10** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/forklift-operators/) 15. [CNC operators, 1.4% of the workforce, score **38** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/cnc-operators/) 16. [Truck drivers, 1.4% of the workforce, score **27** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/truck-drivers/) 17. [Press operators, 1.4% of the workforce, score **18** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/press-operators/) 18. [Food batchmakers, 1.3% of the workforce, score **24** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/food-batchmakers/) 19. [Molding machine operators, 1.3% of the workforce, score **18** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/molding-machine-operators/) 20. [Software developers, 1.2% of the workforce, score **59** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/software-developers/) ## Questions about AI in manufacturing Which tasks should a manufacturer automate first? The first task to automate is to read work orders or receive oral instructions (40% exposed). Next come the tasks to keep records of employees' attendance and hours worked (72%) and to maintain operations data (75%). Together they free the most hours across the industry. How many hours can AI save a manufacturer? About 621 hours a year per full-time person, 31% of a 2,000-hour working year. For a team of 10 that is about 6,210 hours, the time of 3.1 full-time people. The figure is the share of task time AI can remove today, weighted by how many people do each job. Which roles in a manufacturer are most exposed to AI? Of the roles with at least 2% of the jobs, sales representatives score highest, at 63 of 100, and warehouse workers lowest, at 17. Each role's page lists its tasks one by one. Will AI replace jobs in manufacturing? AI can do 13% of the task time across these roles today. Another 43% gets faster with AI while a person stays in charge. 44% needs a person. One task that stays with people is to maintain equipment storage areas. Where should a manufacturer start with AI? With the quick wins: approved assistants for the tasks AI helps with, under a written AI policy. Then automate the 8 tasks on this page AI can do end to end. An AI audit maps the tasks in your team and ranks them the same way this page does. ## Next steps ### Find the tasks to automate first in your team We map the tasks in your business, score each one the way this page does and build the automations that pay back first. [Book an AI audit](https://www.aigentcy.com/audit/) 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.