Bailey McCormack, Service Delivery Manager for the Centre of Excellence at SmartPA
Artificial intelligence is dominating conversations about the future of work. Which careers will crumble in the face of evolving AI substitutes? Which roles will withstand – or even benefit from – the quickly advancing technology? For executive assistants, the conversation is one that is full of possibility.
Whilst many believed AI would quickly replace these roles due to their administrative nature, what we’re actually seeing is it opening up new ways of working. Advanced capabilities are becoming more accessible and allowing executive assistants to contribute in ways that extend far beyond traditional admin support.
Our profession has always adapted alongside the changing needs of business and AI is the next stage in that evolution.
There's a common misconception that an executive assistant's value lies in managing diaries, organising meetings and keeping inboxes under control. In reality, this is only part of the story.
The most effective executive assistants understand how organisations really operate. They know the priorities behind the priorities, understand stakeholder relationships, anticipate challenges before they arise and identify opportunities to make leaders and teams more effective.
In many ways, they act as the operating system behind successful organisations, connecting people, processes and information in a way that often goes unnoticed. And now, there’s a new toolkit at our fingertips that provides more capacity to focus on the work that has always created the greatest value: solving problems, improving processes and enabling better decision-making.
Perhaps one of the most significant changes AI has introduced is accessibility.
Until recently, improving workflows or creating automations often required support from developers or specialist technical teams. Today, many of those barriers have been removed.
Using natural language and approaches such as "vibe coding", EAs can begin creating AI agents, building workflow solutions and refining operational processes – all without needing a background in software development!
The technology is impressive, but the real value comes from understanding the problem in the first place and executive assistants have always excelled at understanding how work flows through an organisation and identifying where improvements can be made.
Whether it's streamlining recruitment by reviewing CVs against predefined criteria, creating guided workflows for complex internal processes or developing knowledge tools that help colleagues find information faster, AI is making it easier for EAs to solve operational challenges themselves.
As technology evolves, so too does the executive assistant career path.
Historically, progression often followed a familiar route, moving from PA to Senior EA before branching into office management or operations. Today, entirely new opportunities are beginning to emerge.
Organisations are increasingly recognising the value of people who can improve processes, connect technology with day-to-day operations and identify opportunities to work more efficiently. As a result, skills traditionally associated with EAs are naturally translating into roles such as AI champion, workflow designer, process improvement specialist, automation lead and knowledge manager.
Many are also progressing into operations, transformation and project management positions.
What's particularly exciting is that these roles aren't built on completely new capabilities but strengths that great executive assistants have always demonstrated, such as organisation, systems thinking, communication, problem solving, and an instinct for making businesses run more effectively.
AI is broadening the possibilities within our existing profession.
The impact of AI goes beyond the way people work, it’s also changing the way we learn.
Professional development in our sector has traditionally relied on lengthy documents, detailed manuals and formal training sessions and, while those resources remain valuable, AI offers new ways to engage with information that are more suited to a broader spectrum of people, including neurodivergent individuals who may not have previously considered these roles.
Long documents can be summarised in seconds, training materials can be transformed into podcasts and complex procedures can become step-by-step guidance that responds to questions in real time.
For organisations, this has significant implications for onboarding, knowledge sharing and continuous learning.
For individuals, it creates more accessible ways to build confidence and develop new skills whilst learning in formats that suit different working and learning styles. As businesses continue to evolve, that flexibility will become increasingly valuable.
While AI is advancing rapidly, the most valuable skill isn't technical expertise, it’s curiosity.
The organisations seeing the greatest benefits from AI are starting with questions: where are the bottlenecks? Which tasks create unnecessary cognitive load? What repetitive processes could be improved?
Experimenting with new tools, testing ideas, refining workflows and learning through experience is often far more valuable than trying to become an AI expert overnight. And, most critically, human judgement remains essential.
AI can analyse information, identify patterns and generate recommendations, but it can't replace context, emotional intelligence, relationship building or the nuanced decision-making that sits at the heart of exceptional executive support.
The executive assistants who thrive over the next decade will continue to combine technology with the qualities that have always defined our profession. They're likely to be the ones who remain curious, adaptable and willing to embrace new ways of working.
AI is making capabilities that once sat with tech specialists accessible to a much wider audience. For EAs, that opens the door to contributing in entirely new ways, from designing smarter workflows and improving operational processes to influencing wider business transformation.
For a profession built on adaptability, continuous learning and helping others succeed, that's an incredibly exciting opportunity.
SmartPA is a leading provider of transformative business support services, disrupting the industry with our highly skilled teams and proprietary methodology, which is enabled by technology and supported by Generative AI.
We help organisations simplify admin and scale faster by combining process optimisation, simplification and cutting-edge technology.
We deliver measurable ROI and unlock potential by removing administrative burden, allowing our clients to focus on top-line growth while we deliver bottom-line impact through data-led decisions.
Click here to find out more about how partnering with SmartPA can help accelerate growth within your organisation. Empower your leaders today by contacting us to discuss your requirements.