Much routine banking moved to apps and machines long before chatbots. Deposits, transfers and balance checks often no longer need a counter. So for tellers, generative AI is the latest step in a change that was already well under way.
The short answer: teller jobs are shrinking, but mostly not because of generative AI. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 13 percent decline for tellers from 2025 to 2035, linked to online banking and automation such as video kiosks and enhanced ATMs. It still expects about 26,800 openings a year, all from replacing workers who retire or change jobs. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed tellers are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Bookkeeping Clerks | Gradient 4 (highest) | 0.64 |
| Bank Tellers and Related Clerks | Gradient 3 | 0.58 |
| Contact Centre Information Clerks | Gradient 3 | 0.58 |
The ILO index measures generative AI exposure. The machines that took over cash and deposits are a separate, older kind of automation.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Tellers | Decline 13% | About 26,800 |
For how tellers compare with loan officers and other banking roles, see will AI replace bankers?
Teller tasks AI and automation are taking on
- Deposits, withdrawals and transfers through apps and ATMs.
- Answering routine account questions through chat assistants.
- Ordering cards and checks online.
- Recording transactions automatically.
What stays with the teller
- Identity and trust: verifying customers and spotting fraud or a customer under pressure.
- Cash handling: counting drawers, currency exchange and special funds such as money orders.
- Customers who need help: people who prefer or need a person, or have a problem the app cannot solve.
- Checking: chat assistants can give confident wrong answers, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Fewer branches need fewer tellers, and the remaining roles lean toward problem solving, fraud awareness and helping customers with digital tools. Tellers who build skills in customer service, financial products or operations have more paths open. This page describes the job market and is not financial advice.
See also will AI replace bankers?, will AI replace customer service?, will AI replace bookkeepers? and will AI take my job?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for tellers at $43,030 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: high school diploma or equivalent. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace bank tellers?
Teller jobs are declining, but mainly because of online banking, video kiosks and enhanced ATMs. The BLS projects a 13 percent decline from 2025 to 2035.
Are there still teller jobs?
Yes. The BLS projects about 26,800 openings a year, all from replacing workers who retire or move to other jobs.
How exposed are tellers to generative AI?
In the ILO 2025 index, bank tellers and related clerks score 0.58, in gradient 3.
What teller work stays human?
Verifying identity, spotting fraud, handling cash and special funds, and helping customers the app cannot.