Executive Assistants are the engine that keeps the company running — managing calendars, smoothing last-minute hiccups, coordinating in-person meetings, and anticipating needs before anyone has to ask. Now imagine layering in a digital collaborator — AI.
AI isn’t here to replace your role. It’s here to handle the repetitive work, including notetaking, research, follow-ups, so you can focus on the strategic, human side that makes your role indispensable.
According to a recent TROOP survey, 57.9% of EAs are utilizing AI on a daily basis to make their work faster, sharper, and more manageable. Here’s where AI makes a difference:
Executive Assistants don’t need just another tool — you need one that delivers real value in the moments that matter. Below, you’ll find why it matters, how to use it well, and the guardrails to keep in mind.
AI can be a powerful partner in your day-to-day work, but it’s not magic. Think of it as a junior assistant: smart, fast, and still learning. Clear direction in, stronger output out. These best practices show you how to use AI effectively — with examples tied to EA workflows and why they matter.
AI often sounds confident even when it’s wrong. Verify names, dates, figures, and tone before sharing with your executive. Fact-checking ensures your executive isn’t walking into a meeting with outdated data or incorrect details.
For example, EAs who skip this step have found AI suggesting the wrong time zone when drafting meeting invites — a small slip that can derail an executive’s day.
AI is here to support you, not replace your judgment. Use it to speed up drafts, summaries, or research, but remember: you’re the one who knows the nuances of your executive’s voice, preferences, and priorities.
EAs who rely too heavily on AI often receive outputs that feel generic. Your expertise is what transforms AI outputs from generic drafts into communications that reflect your executive’s voice and priorities.
Finally, ensure you’re paying attention to AI’s writing patterns, like using certain words or adding em dashes, and refine them to match your company’s style.
Start with low-risk tasks such as summaries or drafts, then expand as your comfort grows. When prompting, request bullet points, tables, timelines, or word counts. Structured outputs are cleaner, easier to use, and cut down on reformatting, giving you information that’s easy to absorb and act on quickly.
Save the prompts that deliver reliable results for recurring tasks like agendas, briefs, email rewrites, and follow-ups. EAs repeat many workflows week after week, so having proven prompts ready makes your work faster, more consistent, and easier to refine.
Use AI alongside platforms you already rely on — calendar, docs, project management, even Slack or Zoom with built-in AI features. For example, “Turn this Zoom meeting transcript into a one-page meeting summary.”
Instead of copying notes into a separate tool, you can make the most of the AI capabilities inside the platforms you rely on every day. That means fewer logins, less jumping back and forth from tool to tool, and faster turnarounds when your executive needs information.
While these practices will help you get better results, it’s just as important to keep guardrails in place to protect yourself, your executive, and your company.
AI can save you hours of work, but safety always comes first. As an Executive Assistant, you’re responsible for handling sensitive information — calendars, travel itineraries, contracts, financials, even private conversations. Treat AI the same way you would any other third-party tool: with caution and good judgment.
With these guardrails in place, AI becomes a reliable tool, not a risk.
The quality of AI’s output depends on the quality of your input. A vague request will give you a vague result, but a clear, specific prompt can produce content that’s polished and ready to go. The following tips focus on how to refine your prompts so AI delivers stronger, more reliable results every time.
Include details like tone of voice, writing style, and audience. When you share more context and write a stronger prompt, you’ll receive a sharper result.
Pro tip: Adding “keep it concise, under 150 words” saves you from multiple rewrites.
When writing prompts, be clear about the format you want back — whether it’s bullet points, numbered steps, a table, or a summary under a word count. This ensures AI delivers information that’s polished and easy to share.
Pro tip: The more organized the request, the less cleanup you’ll have to do before passing it along.
Don’t settle for the first draft. Treat AI as a back-and-forth partner: first ask it to organize the content, then refine tone, then double-check details. This quick loop sharpens the output without taking extra time.
Pro tip: Share your “must-have” criteria up front (e.g., 120 words, formal tone, two risks, one recommendation) and have AI revise against them. This way, you’ll land on an executive-ready draft faster and with fewer rewrites.
AI isn’t replacing the EA role — it’s reshaping it. The faster you get comfortable using these tools, the more you’ll stay ahead and prove just how essential your role is. EAs who embrace AI aren’t just saving time, they’re strengthening their position as strategic partners ready for the future of work.