Tellers

Order bank cards and checks for customers

Ordering bank cards and checks is a highly structured administrative task involving form completion and system entry with standard workflows; AI can handle customer information input, validation, and order submission with minimal human oversight needed only for exceptions.

BLS evidence: Listed in duties as 'Order bank cards and checks for customers.'

Record all transactions electronically throughout shift

Electronic transaction recording is highly structured data entry that AI can perform accurately given integration with banking systems; most transactions follow standard patterns that can be automated with high reliability, though human oversight remains for exceptions.

BLS evidence: The duties section explicitly states 'Record all transactions electronically throughout their shift.'

Recommend bank products or services based on customer interest or financial information

AI can analyze customer financial data and generate product recommendations based on patterns and rules; recommendation engines are well-developed for financial products, though human tellers add relationship context and can better read customer receptiveness in real-time interactions.

BLS evidence: The page states 'Tellers also may recommend the bank's products or services, such as certificates of deposit (CDs) or loans, based on a customer's interest or financial information.'

Answer questions from customers about their accounts

AI chatbots can handle routine account balance and transaction history queries, but many customer questions involve nuanced situations, require accessing multiple systems, interpreting complex account states, or providing reassurance that still benefits from human judgment and empathy.

BLS evidence: Listed in duties as 'Answer questions from customers about their accounts.'

Prepare specialized funds such as money orders, savings bonds, and traveler's checks

Preparing physical financial instruments requires handling specialized paper stock, printing, embossing, and verification steps that involve fine motor control and physical security protocols not yet reliably automated in typical branch settings.

BLS evidence: Duties include 'Prepare specialized types of funds, such as money orders, savings bonds, and traveler's checks.'

Exchange dollars for foreign currency

Currency exchange involves physical handling of foreign bills and coins, verification of authenticity, counting varied denominations, and compliance checks that require manual dexterity and human judgment about suspicious transactions in face-to-face contexts.

BLS evidence: The duties section lists 'Exchange dollars for foreign currency' as a teller responsibility.

Cash checks and verify customer identity and account balances

Involves physical cash handling, real-time identity verification requiring judgment about document authenticity and customer behavior, and fraud detection in face-to-face contexts where AI vision systems lack the reliability and legal standing for autonomous operation.

BLS evidence: The page states 'When cashing a check, they verify the customer's identity and make sure that the account has enough money to cover the transaction.'

Count cash in drawer at start and end of shift to ensure amounts balance

Requires physical counting and handling of currency, reconciliation of physical cash with records, and accountability for discrepancies in a way that demands human presence and manual dexterity in handling varied denominations and conditions of bills and coins.

BLS evidence: Duties include 'Count the cash in their drawer at the start of their shift' and 'Count the cash in their drawer at the end of their shift and make sure the amounts balance.'

Accept checks, cash, and other forms of payment from customers

Requires physical handling of cash, checks, and payment instruments in a face-to-face setting with unpredictable customer interactions and physical verification needs that current robotics cannot reliably automate in typical bank branch environments.

BLS evidence: The duties section lists 'Accept checks, cash, and other forms of payment from customers' as a primary responsibility.