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How exposed to AI is a Cargo and Freight Agent?

Of the 24 tasks O*NET lists for cargo and freight agents, 2 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 15 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Air Export SpecialistDrop Shipment ClerkFreight BrokerIntermodal DispatcherInternational CoordinatorLoad PlannerLogistics CoordinatorLogistics Service RepresentativeShip BrokerTraffic and Documentation Clerk
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
24
tasks rated for this occupation
31%
hold a degree, from a survey of only 16
86k
people do this job in the US
47 of 51
least protected in office and admin

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

2
  • Advise clients on transportation and payment methods
  • Direct or participate in cargo loading to ensure completeness of load and even distribution of weight

Only with software built on top

7
  • Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies
  • Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents
  • Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored
  • Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of freight or baggage arrival and arrange for delivery
  • Enter shipping information into a computer by hand or by a hand-held scanner that reads bar codes on goods
  • Prepare manifests showing numbers of airplane passengers and baggage, mail, and freight weights, transmitting data to destinations
  • Check import or export documentation to determine cargo contents and use tariff coding system to classify goods according to fee or tariff group

Cannot be sped up

15
  • Track delivery progress of shipments
  • Estimate freight or postal rates and record shipment costs and weights
  • Retrieve stored items and trace lost shipments as necessary
  • Arrange insurance coverage for goods
  • Install straps, braces, and padding to loads to prevent shifting or damage during shipment
  • Coordinate and supervise activities of workers engaged in packing and shipping merchandise
  • Contact vendors or claims adjustment departments to resolve shipment problems or contact service depots to arrange for repairs
  • Inspect and count items received and check them against invoices or other documents, recording shortages and rejecting damaged goods
  • Route received goods to first available flight or to appropriate storage areas or departments, using forklifts, hand trucks, or other equipment
  • Direct delivery trucks to shipping doors or designated marshaling areas and help load and unload goods safely
  • Assemble containers and crates used to transport items, such as machines or vehicles
  • Maintain a supply of packing materials
  • Pack goods for shipping, using tools such as staplers, strapping machines, and hammers
  • Attach address labels, identification codes, and shipping instructions to containers
  • Open cargo containers and unwrap contents, using steel cutters, crowbars, or other hand tools
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.