Postal Service Mail Carriers

Postal Service Mail Carriers score 23 out of 100, which is moderate exposure to AI. That ranks #614 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 22 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 5 on its own and 1 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 1 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

23/ 100

Moderate

Rank: #614of 923 jobs
US workers: 328,820BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $60,550a year
In real AI use: 1 of 22tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 5 (23%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 1 (5%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 16 (73%)

Maintain accurate records of deliveries.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
Record address changes and redirect mail for those addresses.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
Answer customers' questions about postal services and regulations.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
Enter change of address orders into computers that process forwarding address stickers.AI can speed this up on its own · supplemental task
Complete forms that notify publishers of address changes.AI can speed this up on its own · supplemental task
Scan labels on letters or parcels to confirm receipt.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Obtain signed receipts for registered, certified, and insured mail, collect associated charges, and complete any necessary paperwork.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Return to the post office with mail collected from homes, businesses, and public mailboxes.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Sort mail for delivery, arranging it in delivery sequence.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Deliver mail to residences and business establishments along specified routes by walking or driving, using a combination of satchels, carts, cars, and small trucks.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Meet schedules for the collection and return of mail.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Sign for cash-on-delivery and registered mail before leaving the post office.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Hold mail for customers who are away from delivery locations.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Turn in money and receipts collected along mail routes.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Leave notices telling patrons where to collect mail that could not be delivered.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Bundle mail in preparation for delivery or transportation to relay boxes.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Return incorrectly addressed mail to senders.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Provide customers with change of address cards and other forms.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Report any unusual circumstances concerning mail delivery, including the condition of street letter boxes.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Register, certify, and insure parcels and letters.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Travel to post offices to pick up the mail for routes or pick up mail from postal relay boxes.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Sell stamps and money orders.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

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Questions about postal service mail carriers and AI

Will AI replace postal service mail carriers?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Postal Service Mail Carriers score 23 out of 100 (moderate exposure), #614 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 6 of the job's 22 tasks, 5 of them on its own, while 16 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which postal service mail carriers tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Maintain accurate records of deliveries"; "Record address changes and redirect mail for those addresses"; "Answer customers' questions about postal services and regulations".

Which postal service mail carriers tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Obtain signed receipts for registered, certified, and insured mail, collect associated charges, and complete any necessary paperwork"; "Return to the post office with mail collected from homes, businesses, and public mailboxes"; "Sort mail for delivery, arranging it in delivery sequence".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 1 of the 22 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as postal service mail carriers, and what do they earn?

About 328,820 people in the US, with median pay of $60,550 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.