Food processing equipment workers run machines that mix, cook, roast, bake, dry and otherwise process ingredients into food products. They load equipment, weigh and mix ingredients to recipes, control temperatures and pressures, record batch data, clean to health and safety standards and check final products. This is hands-on production work with low exposure to generative AI.
The short answer: low exposure, with growth projected. The ILO's 2025 index rates food and related products machine operators as not exposed with a score of 0.15. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, faster than average, with about 36,600 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed food processing workers are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Food and Related Products Machine Operators | Not exposed | 0.15 |
The ILO index measures generative AI, not robots or automated machines.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Food processing equipment workers | Grow 5% | About 36,600 |
The BLS ties growth to population growth and continuing consumer preference for convenience foods. It also notes that some food manufacturers use equipment that automatically weighs and mixes ingredients, which requires fewer workers to operate machines.
What automation is taking on
- Weighing and mixing ingredients automatically, as the BLS describes.
- Holding temperatures, flow rates and pressures with machine controls.
- Logging batch data in production software.
What stays with food processing workers
- Setup: starting, loading and adjusting equipment for each batch.
- Food safety: cleaning and following health and safety standards.
- Quality: checking products and fixing problems on the line.
- Checking AI help: generated instructions or records can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Demand for convenience foods supports the field, while automatic weighing and mixing reduces staffing on some lines. Workers who can run and adjust automated equipment are better placed. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace bakers?, will AI replace factory workers? and will AI replace food scientists?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for food and tobacco processing workers at $41,230 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The BLS says the education needed to enter varies; its profile explains the routes in. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace food processing workers?
Not on current projections. The BLS projects 5 percent growth for food processing equipment workers from 2025 to 2035, with about 36,600 openings a year.
How exposed are food processing workers to AI?
The ILO rates food and related products machine operators as not exposed with a score of 0.15.
Does automation affect these jobs?
Yes. The BLS says some manufacturers use equipment that automatically weighs and mixes ingredients, which requires fewer workers.
What drives demand?
The BLS points to population growth and continuing consumer preference for convenience foods.