Adapting to AI: The Changing Role of Administrative Assistants

Secretaries and administrative assistants face a growing challenge from artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Claude, which can now tackle parts of their duties with ease. The job outlook for this predominantly female profession appears bleak compared to the broader workforce. However, some have embraced AI as a means to advance their careers.

Deanna Danger, 43, has worked in administration since 2003. She stresses the importance of adapting and staying current, with AI being another step in this evolution. Danger began using AI in 2022 and now relies on tools like Copilot and ChatGPT to handle note-taking during meetings. This change allows her to actively participate rather than focus on typing everything that was said. She says tasks that once took hours now finish in under five minutes.

The future impact of AI on administrative roles remains uncertain, but these jobs have been declining for decades. In 2004, about 3.5 million people filled these roles, 97% of them women. By 2024, this number dropped to 2.1 million, despite overall workforce growth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts further decline, except for medical secretaries and assistants, which may grow 4% by 2034 due to healthcare expansion. Office support workers experienced a slight hike in unemployment to 4%, above last year’s 3.6%, yet still below the general unemployment rate.

The overall story is one where productivity-enhancing technologies limit employment demand. – Emily Rolen, lead economist at BLS.

Technological advances in word processing, speech-to-text, and scheduling transformed administrative duties. Clerical workers might face higher AI-related job threats due to limited savings, age, scarce opportunities, or narrow skills, according to a Brookings Institution report. About 34% of administrative professionals are 55 or older, earning a median salary lower than the national average. Most roles require only a high school diploma.

Yet, as the Brookings report notes, individual adaptability remains significant. People’s ability to evolve, as Danger has, is crucial. Danger hosts virtual coffee chats through the American Society of Administrative Professionals, sharing AI use cases like creating flyers and managing social media captions. In these discussions, concerns about data security and AI regulations emerge, alongside recognition of AI’s inability to replace skills in emotional intelligence and relationship building.

Fiona Young, founder of Carve, reports a surge in demand for AI training for administrative professionals since 2023. Companies like Google and Amazon now want their staff to deeply integrate AI into their daily work. Similarly, Oana Manolache, founder of Sequel.io, expresses a firm expectation for AI use but recognizes the irreplaceable role of her assistant’s human skills.

Administrative assistants like Stephanie Martinez leverage AI to handle tasks such as note-taking, freeing them to focus on strategic and relational work. Martinez, for example, used AI to identify potential software reviewers, streamlining the process significantly. AI’s integration into daily tasks offers these professionals more time for creative thinking.

Melissa Peoples, an executive assistant coach, emphasizes the need for effective AI training and addressing gender dynamics within the industry. She notes that assistants adopting AI early can raise their influence and protect their roles as AI becomes more accessible.

AP’s women in the workforce coverage receives support from Pivotal Ventures. AP maintains full editorial control.