Air Traffic Controllers vs Cargo and Freight Agents AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

medium risk

Air Traffic Controllers

23 shared · 50 different

core competencies

medium risk

Cargo and Freight Agents

Side-by-Side Comparison

Air Traffic Controllers leads 5–0

Metric	Air Traffic Controllers	Cargo and Freight Agents
Risk Score	37.2%	48.4%
Risk Tier	Medium Risk	Medium Risk
Risk Percentile	73th	96th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	8 / 15	9 / 15
Median Salary	$144,580	$49,900
Employment	22K	98K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Time Sharing

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Training and Teaching Others

Selective Attention

Flexibility of Closure

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings

Far Vision

Perceptual Speed

Problem Sensitivity

Visualization

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Coaching and Developing Others

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Air Traffic Controllers

33%

total discount

Cargo and Freight Agents

26%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Air Traffic Controllers

8 of 15 at risk

86%Contact pilots by radio to provide meteorological, navigational, or other information.

80%Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.

80%Maintain radio or telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, or other area control centers to coordinate aircraft movement.

78%Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.

76%Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.

Cargo and Freight Agents

9 of 15 at risk

88%Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored.

88%Track delivery progress of shipments.

87%Prepare manifests showing numbers of airplane passengers and baggage, mail, and freight weights, transmitting data to destinations.

87%Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery.

86%Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights.

Wage Comparison

Cargo and Freight Agents earns -$94,680(-65%) vs Air Traffic Controllers

Air Traffic ControllersCargo and Freight Agents

10th

$76,090$37,240

25th

$101,150$43,490

Median

$144,580$49,900

75th

$186,510$62,230

90th

$210,410$76,350

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Air Traffic Controllers2028–2035

Cargo and Freight Agents2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Air Traffic Controllers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Cargo and Freight Agents.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Air Traffic Controllers

$90,767

from $144,580

Cargo and Freight Agents

$25,768

from $49,900

After adjusting for AI risk, Air Traffic Controllers offers $64,999 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Air

Unique to Cargo

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Creativity

Decision Complexity

Fine Manipulation

Social Intelligence

Air Traffic ControllersCargo and Freight Agents

Find transitions from Air Traffic Controllers Find transitions from Cargo and Freight Agents