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How exposed to AI is a Postal Service Clerk?

Of the 21 tasks O*NET lists for postal service clerks, 3 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 13 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
Bulk Mail TechnicianClerkDistribution ClerkPart Time Flexible Clerk (PTF Clerk)Postal ClerkSales and Distribution ClerkSales and Service Associate (SSA)Window Clerk
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
21
tasks rated for this occupation
0%
hold a degree, from a survey of 31
79k
people do this job in the US
46 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

3
  • Answer questions regarding mail regulations and procedures, postage rates, and post office boxes
  • Complete forms regarding changes of address, or theft or loss of mail, or for special services such as registered or priority mail
  • Respond to complaints regarding mail theft, delivery problems, and lost or damaged mail, filling out forms and making appropriate referrals for investigation

Only with software built on top

5
  • Weigh letters and parcels, compute mailing costs based on type, weight, and destination, and affix correct postage
  • Check mail to ensure correct postage and that packages and letters are in proper condition for mailing
  • Keep money drawers in order, and record and balance daily transactions
  • Rent post office boxes to customers
  • Post announcements or government information on public bulletin boards

Cannot be sped up

13
  • Sort incoming and outgoing mail, according to type and destination, by hand or by operating electronic mail-sorting and scanning devices
  • Obtain signatures from recipients of registered or special delivery mail
  • Transport mail from one work station to another
  • Sell and collect payment for products such as stamps, prepaid mail envelopes, and money orders
  • Register, certify, and insure letters and parcels
  • Receive letters and parcels, and place mail into bags
  • Put undelivered parcels away, retrieve them when customers come to claim them, and complete any related documentation
  • Provide assistance to the public in complying with federal regulations of Postal Service and other federal agencies
  • Provide customers with assistance in filing claims for mail theft, or lost or damaged mail
  • Set postage meters, and calibrate them to ensure correct operation
  • Feed mail into postage canceling devices or hand stamp mail to cancel postage
  • Cash money orders
  • Order retail items and other supplies for office use
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.