Material moving machine operators run forklifts and other industrial trucks, cranes, hoists, conveyors and dredges. They inspect their equipment, move material on a plan, direct workers loading and unloading, keep records and make minor repairs. Generative AI has little to do with operating heavy machinery. Automation and sensors are the larger factor.
The short answer: low exposure to generative AI, with slow growth. The ILO's 2025 index rates lifting truck operators as not exposed at 0.20, and crane, hoist and related plant operators at 0.18. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 1 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 70,700 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed material moving machine operators 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Lifting Truck Operators | Not exposed | 0.20 |
| Crane, Hoist and Related Plant Operators | Not exposed | 0.18 |
The ILO index measures generative AI, not robots or automated machines.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Material moving machine operators | Grow 1% | About 70,700 |
The BLS says demand may be limited by the expansion of automated machinery and technologies, such as sensors and scanners, that improve operations and increase efficiency. Most projected openings come from replacing workers who leave or retire.
What automation is taking on
- Moving goods on automated conveyors and machinery.
- Tracking loads with sensors and scanners instead of paper records.
- Planning routes and schedules for moving material in software.
What stays with operators
- Safety: inspecting equipment and moving heavy loads around people.
- Coordination: signaling and directing workers who load and unload.
- Repairs: spotting problems and making minor fixes.
- Checking AI help: generated schedules or records can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Automated machinery and scanning systems are spreading through warehouses, ports and plants. Operators who can work alongside automated systems are better placed. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace warehouse workers?, will AI replace heavy equipment operators? and will AI replace truck drivers?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for material moving machine operators at $46,670 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 forklift and crane operators?
Not on current projections. The BLS projects 1 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 70,700 openings a year.
How exposed are material moving machine operators to AI?
The ILO rates lifting truck operators as not exposed at 0.20, and crane, hoist and related plant operators at 0.18.
Does automation affect these jobs?
Yes. The BLS says automated machinery and technologies such as sensors and scanners may limit demand.
Which machines do they operate?
Conveyors, cranes and towers, dredges, hoists and winches, and industrial trucks and tractors such as forklifts.