Will AI replace secretaries and administrative assistants?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 3h 14m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The breakdown: 39m done by people with AI help, 3h 14m that AI mostly does alone. The other 4h 7m (51%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 6% fewer of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

AI shows up regularly in 10 of 31 tasks, about 3h 53m of a typical shift. The biggest ones:

• Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals. (52m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Create, maintain, and enter information into databases. (32m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs. (26m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing. (26m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Schedule and confirm appointments for clients, customers, or supervisors. (19m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)

Not in workplaces like this one, based on a 2026 review of robot deployments. 8 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here.

4h 7m of a typical shift, or 51%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material. (45m a shift)
• Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations. (39m a shift)
• Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions. (13m a shift)
• Maintain scheduling and event calendars. (13m a shift)
• Complete forms in accordance with company procedures. (13m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 87% are in constant contact with other people
• 79% talk face to face with others every day
• 70% say dealing with the public is very or extremely important

We track 2 sourced company moves that affect this job. Most recent:

• Nov 21, 2025: Clifford Chance cuts about 10% of London business services roles (Rolling out)
• Jan 8, 2025: WEF: admin assistants and graphic designers among fastest declining jobs (Forecast)

For the 6 tasks in this job where AI shows up and timing data exists, a typical request takes about 2h 54m for a person alone and about 20m with AI. These are Claude's own estimates from real conversations in April and May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index). They describe single requests, not whole workdays, and time saved on a task doesn't mean jobs are cut. The biggest gaps:

• Develop or maintain internal or external company Web sites (about 15h 14m alone, 1h 15m with AI)
• Create, maintain, and enter information into databases (about 3h 49m alone, 20m with AI)
• Conduct searches to find needed information, using such sources as the Internet (about 3h 50m alone, 22m with AI)

On Indeed, job postings in the Administrative Assistance sector are at 96% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 0.6% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 164,000 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $47,540 a year ($22.86 an hour), 7% below the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $33,280 and $66,350 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects a decline of 6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 1.8 million jobs in 2035. Even so, it expects about 164,000 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 1.7 million people in the U.S., roughly 1.1% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 15th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 1.8 million in 2035.

The most common requirement is a high school diploma: about 50% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 2 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: high school diploma, some training. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Time Management, Service Orientation, Speaking, Active Listening
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 4h 7m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel
• Learn to use AI well on the tasks where it already shows up in this job (listed above)

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Court, Municipal, and License Clerks (1h 28m touched, $49k median pay)
• Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants (42m touched, $56k median pay)
• Word Processors and Typists (2h 21m touched, $49k median pay)
• Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks (1h 20m touched, $49k median pay)
• Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants (2h 17m touched, $77k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 10 observed in real AI use, 21 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.