Will AI replace office workers?
Updated
Office clerks score 60 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 51%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 38% outright, and 11% stays with people.
- 38% AI can do it
- 51% AI helps
- 11% Needs a person
High exposure
Higher than 91% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 20 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 7 of them today, speeds up 10 and leaves 3 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Type, format, proofread, and edit correspondence and other documents, from notes or dictating machines, using computers or typewriters. Dictation, typing, formatting and proofreading are core AI strengths. | 80% AI can do it |
| Process and prepare documents, such as business or government forms and expense reports. Structured forms and expense reports suit AI extraction and checks. | 74% AI can do it |
| Compute, record, and proofread data and other information, such as records or reports. AI proofreads and checks data well; people spot-check output. | 72% AI can do it |
| Review files, records, and other documents to obtain information to respond to requests. Document AI can search and summarize records to answer requests. | 68% AI can do it |
| Prepare meeting agendas, attend meetings, and record and transcribe minutes. AI transcribes and drafts minutes; a person reviews them. | 65% AI can do it |
| Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages. Voice AI can answer, route calls and take messages today. | 62% AI can do it |
| Complete work schedules, manage calendars, and arrange appointments. AI calendar assistants can book, move and manage appointments. | 62% AI can do it |
| Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer. Database and filing updates are automatable; mailing lists need checks. | 55% AI helps |
| Complete and mail bills, contracts, policies, invoices, or checks. Documents generate easily with AI; physical mailing and signing stay manual. | 55% AI helps |
| Compile, copy, sort, and file records of office activities, business transactions, and other activities. Digital sorting and filing is automatable; paper handling is not. | 48% AI helps |
Show the other 10 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders, and address complaints. Chat AI handles routine questions; complaints need human judgement. | 45% AI helps |
| Inventory and order materials, supplies, and services. Ordering is easily assisted; physical counts and deliveries stay manual. | 45% AI helps |
| Collect, count, and disburse money, do basic bookkeeping, and complete banking transactions. Bookkeeping gets AI help; cash handling and counting stay manual. | 42% AI helps |
| Open, sort, and route incoming mail, answer correspondence, and prepare outgoing mail. Physical mail opening is manual; routing and drafting replies assisted. | 40% AI helps |
| Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, facsimile machines, voice mail systems, and personal computers. Machine handling stays manual; scanning and PC tasks get AI help. | 30% AI helps |
| Train other staff members to perform work activities, such as using computer applications. AI helps build training materials; live coaching stays human. | 30% AI helps |
| Troubleshoot problems involving office equipment, such as computer hardware and software. Hardware fixes stay hands-on; software troubleshooting gets AI help. | 28% AI helps |
| Monitor and direct the work of lower-level clerks. Supervising and directing staff needs live human judgement and accountability. | 15% Needs a person |
| Count, weigh, measure, or organize materials. Counting, weighing and organizing physical items needs hands-on work. | 8% Needs a person |
| Deliver messages and run errands. Running errands and delivering items requires physical presence. | 6% Needs a person |
How office clerks compare
All occupations (923)
Office and administrative support (51)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $45,010 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 2.5 million in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- -6.0% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Review AI-drafted correspondence in Microsoft Word before sending
- Check expense reports and records line by line in Microsoft Excel
- Post and reconcile entries in Intuit QuickBooks
- Verify SAP transaction data against source documents
- Train staff on Microsoft Outlook and Google Workspace
- Troubleshoot Microsoft Windows hardware and office equipment faults
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about office clerks and AI
Will office workers be replaced by AI?
Partly. About 5 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly typing and proofreading documents and processing forms and expense reports. People still handle the physical errands, the supervision of staff and the hands-on office equipment work that AI has no way to reach.
Which office clerk tasks is AI taking over?
Typing, formatting and proofreading documents from notes or dictation scores 80 on exposure, the highest in this job. AI drafts letters, checks spelling and grammar, and reformats documents in Microsoft Word within seconds. Answering telephones follows at 62, since voice AI can route calls and take messages today.
Which office clerk tasks stay human?
Delivering messages and running errands scores 6 on exposure, the lowest in this job, because it needs physical presence. Counting, weighing and organizing materials scores 8 for the same reason. Monitoring lower-level clerks scores 15, since live judgement and accountability sit with a person. Tasks that stay human make up 11% of task weight.
How can office clerks stay valuable?
Check the output of AI tools against source records before anything is filed or sent. Learn Intuit QuickBooks and SAP well enough to catch wrong entries in reconciliations and reports. Build Microsoft Excel and Access checks for expense reports, and train colleagues on Microsoft Outlook and Google Workspace.
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