Executive Assistant
Office & Administrative Support
55%
Medium Risk
Human-Centric Role
AI Impact Overview
Significant parts of this role may be automated or augmented by AI in the coming years. Developing complementary skills and staying adaptable will be important.
Past 3 Years
- C-suite executives increasingly adopted AI scheduling tools in 2023, but 70% reported needing human EAs for judgment calls on meeting priorities and stakeholder management.
- AI writing assistants reduced EA time spent on correspondence by 50% in 2024, allowing EAs to focus on strategic support and relationship management.
- Major consulting firms began billing 'EA plus AI' packages in 2023, with human EAs supervising AI tools to increase output by 3x without additional headcount.
2-5 Year Outlook
- Executive assistants will evolve into 'Chief of Staff Lite' roles, focusing on strategic initiatives, stakeholder management, and organizational intelligence.
- The EA-to-executive ratio will increase from 1:1 to 1:3 or 1:4 by 2027, with AI handling routine tasks and EAs managing multiple executives.
- Top EAs will command premium salaries ($150K+) as they become rare strategic partners rather than administrative support.
Adaptation Strategies
- 1Position yourself as an 'AI-augmented EA' who delivers 3x the output - master every AI tool your executive might need and proactively implement solutions.
- 2Develop genuine expertise in your executive's industry - become a thought partner who can draft strategic memos, not just format documents.
- 3Build skills in project management, vendor negotiations, and budget oversight to expand beyond traditional EA boundaries.
- 4Cultivate relationships across the organization to become indispensable for organizational intelligence and political navigation that AI cannot provide.
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