Australia Post: Future of Postal Clerks in the Age of AI and Robots

This report examines the evolving role of postal clerks within Australia Post in the face of rapid technological advancements, specifically focusing on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The paper discusses how automation, including the use of robots like Baxter, is transforming mail sorting and customer service tasks, potentially leading to job displacement. It highlights examples of AI implementation in major postal services, such as the US Postal Service, and explores the increasing efficiency and cost-effectiveness of AI and ML systems. The report emphasizes the business rationale behind adopting these technologies, citing reduced overhead costs and increased productivity, and concludes that the postal clerk role at Australia Post may become obsolete in the coming decade due to these advancements. The analysis draws on various sources to support its claims about the future of work in the logistics sector.

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND DECISION MAKING: POSTAL CLERKS
THE FUTURE
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Introduction
As technology continues to advance at a breathtaking pace, some tasks and jobs hitherto done by
human beings are being taken over by machines and computers; an example is in manufacturing
where welding and assembly jobs previously done by people have been taken over by robots.
Robots and machines can work in harsh conditions and continuously, without the limitations
associated with human beings such as getting tired, injured, sick, or the need to take leave (Rendall,
2016). In this context, this paper discusses a job category involved in supply chain management;
with a focus on Australia Post, a logistics company. The specific job category to be discussed is that
of a Postal Service Clerk
Discussion
In the modern computing world characterized by computer systems, robots, and artificial
intelligence (AI) systems that have human-like intelligence and reasoning, certain jobs that require
the use of data and other information sources to shape reasoning and make decisions are in danger
of becoming extinct in the near future. The job of a postal service clerk, specifically relating to mail
includes sorting and preparing mails for delivery and work mostly in the mail room: they also check
is mails are properly addressed and offer customer services, such as when clients call to track their
mail and deliveries. In the past decade, the concept of AI (artificial intelligence) has grown in leaps
and bounds, to the level where AI is used to autonomously drive cars, and can take off and land
aircraft. AT present, AI based systems like IBM Watson and Google’s Alpha Go have demonstrated
that they can beat the best human beings in their fields in tasks that involve critical thinking such as
playing chess (Looft, 2018). The reality is that the future looks scary for certain professions such as
postal clerks and mail room workers, something unfathomable just a few years back. Already, major
postal services providers such as the US Postal Service (USPS) are already using AI in the form of
chatbots to simulate questions and filed questions from customers (USPS Inspector General, 2018).
And because AI is now interfaced with the concept of machine learning (ML) in which computer
systems eventually learn certain concepts using algorithms, it is probable certain jobs, including
those of postal service clerks will become extinct. Already, robots such as Baxter (Guizzo and
Ackerman, 2012) are already in existence and can be customized and ‘taught’ to be more efficient
and tireless mail sorting clerks at Postal Service firms. These robots do not require skilled
technicians to program them; instead, they use algorithms and some basic inputs to learn their trade,
fast ML technology and AI can address more and more complex problems more accurately, with
less effort, and in a significantly shorter time. Because AI systems using ML algorithms have an
almost unlimited scope to learn, have low overhead costs, and can work for longer, they will
become more attractive to logistics companies, such as Postal Services that are increasingly
required to fund themselves (Frey and Osborne, 2013, pp. 3-4). Computer controlled by robots, that

themselves have AI and ML capabilities are replacing jobs (and workers of course) that entail
packing, sorting, or moving goods. Amazon, for instance, has robots that move all goods to the
packaging people (who do the mailing of goods). The robots are so efficient and can move more
goods in a given duration than human beings would as the video on a site shows (Amazon robots
moving stacks of goods) (Computer Hope, 2018). The rationale behind using roots and AI machines
in logistics makes business sense; it enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and gets more done in a
shorter time period. Further, overheads such as salaries, off days, sick days, and overtime pay that
must be given to humans who cannot work for 24 hours makes this a very lucrative idea. At
Amazon as this video link shows (https://youtu.be/UtBa9yVZBJM) (‘Computer Hope,’ 2018), the
robots help the company move shipping packages out faster than the competition, and in doing so,
replaced the jobs of packing and mail room clerks and attendants that would otherwise be handling
this job. Autonomous fork lifts are being used by other firms and logistics firms, further replacing
the venerable mail room/ postal clerks. Postal workers that have been sorting mails for many years
in the past have been replaced by AI robotic automatic mail sorting machines; these robots can read
and sort mail faster than humans, at a lower cost, and handle more work than a human being would,
working 24 hours (‘Computer Hope,’ 2018).
Conclusion
The advancements in technology, particularly AI and ML in the past decade has created systems that
perform much better than human being and in a far shorter time. Postal clerks (mail room workers)
among other tasks perform the crucial sorting and placing mail in the right boxes and sections. With
computer controlled robots such as Baxter and AI machines with ML capabilities, this job is being
replaced; the machines can work faster, more efficiently, continuously, and come with low
overheads. In conclusion, this article believes the Postal Clerk job will be extinct at Australia Post in
the coming decade.

References
Computer Hope (2018). What jobs are being taken over by robots and computers?. [online]
Computerhope.com. Available at: https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001799.htm [Accessed
2 May 2018].
Frey, C. and Osborne, M. (2013). The Future of Employment: How Susceptioble are Jobs to
Computerisation. [ebook] Oxford: Oxford Martin, p.-. Available at:
https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf
[Accessed 2 May 2018].
Guizzo, E. and Ackerman, E. (2012). How Rethink Robotics Built Its New Baxter Robot Worker.
[online] IEEE Spectrum. Available at: https://spectrum.ieee.org/robotics/industrial-robots/rethink-
robotics-baxter-robot-factory-worker [Accessed 2 May 2018].
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May 2018].
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replace-manufacturing-jobs-and-thats-a-good-thing/ [Accessed 2 May 2018].
USPS Inspector General (2018). Getting Real with Artificial Intelligence | USPS Office of Inspector
General. [online] Uspsoig.gov. Available at: https://www.uspsoig.gov/blog/getting-real-artificial-
intelligence [Accessed 2 May 2018].