File Clerks

File clerks mostly do routine record-keeping (scanning, sorting, filing, retrieving documents) ^{[1] [2]}. Many of these tasks can be handled by software today. For example, offices use OCR scanners to digitize papers and upload them into databases ^[1].

In fact, a recent study of archives found that only AI tools can sift through huge volumes of digital records – doing it all by hand is “impossible” at scale ^[3]. Experts note that AI is very good at repetitive, rule-following tasks ^[4], so much of the filing and data‐entry work can already be done by computers. In practice, this means that software often performs the heavy lifting (like sorting or classifying pages) while human clerks double-check or handle the tricky cases.

Tasks like tracking borrowed files or answering coworker questions may still rely on people and simple databases, but even these can be partly supported by digital lookup tools. Overall, many filing tasks are now automated or augmented by software, though humans still guide the process.

Whether companies replace file clerks with AI depends on costs and benefits. On one hand, the technology exists – document-scanning and content-management tools are common. In fact, new rules (like the U.S. Archives’ 2024 mandate for digital records) force organizations to move files online ^[3], which encourages AI-based systems.

Salesforce and Box now offer AI helpers that can extract text and organize documents automatically. This can speed work and cut errors, so busy offices (for example, hospitals or law firms) may adopt AI faster. On the other hand, investing in AI systems costs money, and file clerks aren’t very highly paid.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 3% decline in information-clerk jobs overall ^[1], suggesting many offices are digitizing, but it’s gradual. Also, file clerks handle sensitive material, so businesses move carefully to protect privacy.