Of all the tasks assistants are being asked to rethink in the age of AI, one category creates more emotion than any other. Email.
And I understand why.
On the surface, it looks like the perfect candidate for automation. Many assistants tell me they are open to support with triage, filtering, categorisation, draft responses and flagging tasks. All of that feels helpful. All of that feels practical.
But when the conversation shifts to full automation, the resistance is loud and clear.
“I will NEVER automate email. Reading emails gives me context.”
“AI cannot learn nuance or importance.”
“This will always need human judgement.”
What sits underneath those reactions is not resistance to change. It is something deeper and entirely rational.
Assistants fear losing influence.
They distrust unfamiliar tools handling sensitive content.
They worry about political implications.
They understand that email triage is not a clerical activity. It is situational awareness at the highest level.
This is the part the wider world often misses.
For assistants, email is not an admin task. It is intelligence gathering. It is where you read the room before you ever walk into it. It is how you understand what is coming, what is shifting and what your executive needs before they have asked for it.
So of course it feels charged. Of course it feels personal. Of course it is the line many of you are not ready to cross.
Here is my reassurance. Your instinct is valid. Your caution is smart. And your judgement is still the single most valuable asset in your role.
Use AI where it helps you work smarter. Do not apologise for holding firm on the parts of your role that rely on trust, sensitivity and political awareness.
That is not fear. That is professional discernment.
