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How exposed to AI is a Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?

Of the 32 tasks O*NET lists for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, 13 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 7 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Administrative Assistant (Admin Assistant)Administrative ClerkAdministrative Secretary (Admin Secretary)Administrative Specialist (Admin Specialist)Administrative Support Assistant (ASA)Administrative TechnicianDepartment SecretaryOffice AssistantSecretaryStaff Assistant
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
32
tasks rated for this occupation
11%
hold a degree, from a survey of 57
1826k
people do this job in the US
25 of 51
least protected in office and admin

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

13
  • Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals
  • Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs
  • Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations
  • Complete forms in accordance with company procedures
  • Open, read, route, and distribute incoming mail or other materials and answer routine letters
  • Prepare conference or event materials, such as flyers or invitations
  • Perform payroll functions, such as maintaining timekeeping information and processing and submitting payroll
  • Establish work procedures or schedules and keep track of the daily work of clerical staff
  • Prepare and mail checks
  • Arrange conference, meeting, or travel reservations for office personnel
  • Manage projects or contribute to committee or team work
  • Mail newsletters, promotional material, or other information
  • Develop or maintain internal or external company Web sites

Only with software built on top

12
  • Create, maintain, and enter information into databases
  • Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions
  • Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material
  • Schedule and confirm appointments for clients, customers, or supervisors
  • Maintain scheduling and event calendars
  • Locate and attach appropriate files to incoming correspondence requiring replies
  • Conduct searches to find needed information, using such sources as the Internet
  • Review work done by others to check for correct spelling and grammar, ensure that company format policies are followed, and recommend revisions
  • Learn to operate new office technologies as they are developed and implemented
  • Supervise other clerical staff and provide training and orientation to new staff
  • Coordinate conferences, meetings, or special events, such as luncheons or graduation ceremonies
  • Take dictation in shorthand or by machine and transcribe information

Cannot be sped up

7
  • Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing
  • Compose, type, and distribute meeting notes, routine correspondence, or reports, such as presentations or expense, statistical, or monthly reports
  • Make copies of correspondence or other printed material
  • Train and assist staff with computer usage
  • Order and dispense supplies
  • Collect and deposit money into accounts, disburse funds from cash accounts to pay bills or invoices, keep records of collections and disbursements, and ensure accounts are balanced
  • Provide services to customers, such as order placement or account information
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.