AI JOB RISK SCANNER
O*NET-SOC 51-9196.00 / model V11 rated-task engine

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

Set up, operate, or tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, corrugating, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, or sealing paper or paperboard sheets into products.

Estimated AI task exposure
10%

Low exposure

V11 weights occupation tasks using O*NET Importance, Relevance and Frequency ratings instead of treating every task equally.

14 tasks have usable Task Rating records; weighted-task coverage is 100%.

Digital/info work

24/100

Physical moat

65/100

Human moat

15/100

Rating coverage

100%

14 task statements / 14 rated

Highest-weighted occupation tasks

Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.
Importance 92/100Relevance 95/100Frequency 87/100Weight 0.92
Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.
Importance 86/100Relevance 83/100Frequency 80/100Weight 0.83
Start machines and move controls to regulate tension on pressure rolls, to synchronize speed of machine components, and to adjust temperatures of glue or paraffin.
Importance 79/100Relevance 70/100Frequency 68/100Weight 0.73
Install attachments to machines for gluing, folding, printing, or cutting.
Importance 85/100Relevance 66/100Frequency 73/100Weight 0.75
Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools.
Importance 75/100Relevance 71/100Frequency 52/100Weight 0.68
Place rolls of paper or cardboard on machine feed tracks, and thread paper through gluing, coating, and slitting rollers.
Importance 83/100Relevance 60/100Frequency 74/100Weight 0.72
Adjust guide assemblies, forming bars, and folding mechanisms according to specifications, using hand tools.
Importance 80/100Relevance 60/100Frequency 74/100Weight 0.71
Stamp products with information such as dates, using hand stamps or automatic stamping devices.
Importance 74/100Relevance 56/100Frequency 82/100Weight 0.69
Monitor finished cartons as they drop from forming machines into rotating hoppers and into gravity feed chutes to prevent jamming.
Importance 81/100Relevance 48/100Frequency 82/100Weight 0.69
Remove finished cores, and stack or place them on conveyors for transfer to other work areas.
Importance 73/100Relevance 50/100Frequency 74/100Weight 0.65

Task weighting

Each rated task receives a composite weight: 38% relevance, 37% importance and 25% frequency. Core tasks receive a small additional multiplier. Low-precision rows flagged by O*NET for suppression are excluded.

Occupation scoring

When rating coverage is strong, rated tasks contribute 60% of the digital, physical and human task signals and Work Activities contribute 40%. Lower-coverage occupations automatically rely more on Work Activities.

U.S. labor market

BLS Wage & Employment Outlook

Median annual wage

$50,270

BLS OEWS May 2025

National employment

96,130

BLS OEWS May 2025

Projected growth

-3.6%

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

Average annual openings

9

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

BLS labor-market figures are separate from the site's AI-exposure model. Missing values mean a compatible detailed BLS occupation estimate was not published or could not be mapped.

Career pivot radar

Safer Career Alternatives

These options are selected from the same 923-occupation model. They favor a similar task/work profile with meaningfully lower estimated AI exposure. They are suggestions for exploration, not guarantees of job fit.

SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

6%

4 points lower exposure • 97% profile similarity

Median wage: $57,020 Growth 2025–2035: +1.6% Annual openings: 14

similar work profile with lower modeled exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Millwrights

5%

5 points lower exposure • 95% profile similarity

Median wage: $65,700 Growth 2025–2035: +0.9% Annual openings: 3

stronger human/judgment moat, more physical-world work
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters

5%

5 points lower exposure • 96% profile similarity

Median wage: $46,680 Growth 2025–2035: -2.9% Annual openings: 7

more physical-world work
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians

5%

5 points lower exposure • 95% profile similarity

Median wage: $63,800 Growth 2025–2035: +6.8% Annual openings: 42

more physical-world work
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers

5%

5 points lower exposure • 96% profile similarity

Median wage: $34,890 Growth 2025–2035: +4.3% Annual openings: 28

more physical-world work
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

5%

5 points lower exposure • 95% profile similarity

Median wage: $65,380 Growth 2025–2035: -5.6% Annual openings: 3

more physical-world work

Personalized career defense protocol

AI-Proofing Plan

AUTOMATE

    AUGMENT

    • administrative support tasks
    • planning and documentation

    PROTECT

    • physical-world execution
    • on-site troubleshooting
    • dexterity and equipment interaction

    LEARN

    • AI-assisted diagnostics
    • digital documentation
    • basic AI literacy

    AI-PROOFING RESOURCES

    What this score does not mean

    The percentage is a comparative task-exposure index. It is not the probability that this occupation disappears, that a worker is laid off, or that AI can perform the entire job.

    New in V11

    Find a Safer Career Path

    High exposure does not mean starting over. V11 compares your occupation with the other 922 O*NET occupations and surfaces lower-exposure options with similar work profiles.

    EXPLORE CAREER ALTERNATIVES
    I am your guide.
    Knowledge is your strongest upgrade.