Investigation of the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Automation in the Postal Services Sector Labour Market

The Postal services sector is increasingly automating human labour, which is likely to be reduced to the point of redundancy in future. The introduction of Automatic Post Stations (APS) in the Bulgarian postal sector is gaining momentum and is one of the most recent examples of a disruptive innovation in the Bulgarian economy. This study aims to examine and analyse the use cases of artificial intelligence (AI), APS and other digital technologies as a disruptive innovation (closing technology) and their impact on employment in the Postal services sector. It is thematically linked to another study by the authors examining the impact of AI and other disruptive innovations on the business processes in the sector. This study examines APS development statistics in Europe and Bulgaria, as well as potential job losses in the Postal services sector. The transformative impact of automation and AI on employment in the postal and courier services sectors is outlined, highlighting new opportunities, advantages and disadvantages. Conclusions are drawn based on the investigation and analyses.