Will AI replace billing and posting clerks?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 3h 54m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The breakdown: 25m done by people with AI help, 3h 47m that AI mostly does alone, 7m that robots have done in real workplaces. The other 3h 41m (46%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 0.1% fewer of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

AI shows up regularly in 6 of 28 tasks, about 4h 12m of a typical shift. The biggest ones:

• Prepare itemized statements, bills, or invoices and record amounts due for items purchased or services rendered. (1h 9m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Verify accuracy of billing data and revise any errors. (57m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Resolve discrepancies in accounting records. (38m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Contact customers to obtain or relay account information. (38m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Keep records of invoices and support documents. (25m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)

For some tasks, yes. Robots have done 1 of this job's tasks in workplaces like this one, about 7m of a typical shift. 3 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here. For 1 physical task, no robot has shown it can do the work yet.

• Weigh envelopes containing statements to determine correct postage and affix postage, using stamps or metering equipment. (6m a shift; e.g. Pitney Bowes SendPro P / Connect+ series with Weigh-On-The-Way (WOW), in use)

3h 41m of a typical shift, or 46%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Perform bookkeeping work, including posting data or keeping other records concerning costs of goods or services or the shipment of goods. (38m a shift)
• Review documents, such as purchase orders, sales tickets, charge slips, or hospital records, to compute fees or charges due. (38m a shift)
• Create billing documents, shipping labels, credit memorandums, or credit forms. (19m a shift)
• Operate typing, adding, calculating, or billing machines. (13m a shift)
• Route statements for mailing or over-the-counter delivery to customers. (13m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 65% talk face to face with others every day
• 63% say dealing with the public is very or extremely important
• 51% use their hands on tools, objects or controls more than half the time

We track 2 sourced company moves that affect this job. Most recent:

• Jul 23, 2026: CoxHealth cuts 53 revenue cycle roles after automating coding entry (Rolling out)
• May 12, 2026: Tampa General uses AI agents for claims, denials and appeal letters (Rolling out)

For the 3 tasks in this job where AI shows up and timing data exists, a typical request takes about 3h 55m for a person alone and about 27m with AI. These are Claude's own estimates from real conversations in April and May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index). They describe single requests, not whole workdays, and time saved on a task doesn't mean jobs are cut. The biggest gaps:

• Prepare itemized statements, bills, or invoices and record amounts due for items purchased or services rendered (about 4h 19m alone, 27m with AI)
• Keep records of invoices and support documents (about 3h 55m alone, 22m with AI)
• Verify accuracy of billing data and revise any errors (about 3h 50m alone, 27m with AI)

On Indeed, job postings in the Accounting sector are at 105% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), down 5.9% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 37,000 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $48,500 a year ($23.32 an hour), 5% below the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $37,290 and $67,710 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects a decline of 0.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 418,000 jobs in 2035. Even so, it expects about 37,000 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 404,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.26% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 100th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 418,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is some college: about 51% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 3 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: vocational school or associate's degree. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Time Management, Writing
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 3h 41m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel
• Learn to use AI well on the tasks where it already shows up in this job (listed above)

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks (37m touched, $58k median pay)
• Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks (1h 58m touched, $51k median pay)
• Court, Municipal, and License Clerks (1h 28m touched, $49k median pay)
• Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks (1h 20m touched, $49k median pay)
• Brokerage Clerks (2h touched, $66k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 6 observed in real AI use, 2 with robots in real deployments, 20 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.