There is a growing body of evidence that AI is redefining white-collar work. It’s not just the endless rounds of layoffs at tech companies that herald this transformation. Entry-level jobs are disappearing in sectors like software engineering, leaving new college graduates scrambling to figure out their next move. Recent entrants to the workforce are faced with a uniquely challenging job market, one they say they are unprepared to navigate.
Plenty of others are also vulnerable as AI rapidly changes the nature of white-collar work. Secretaries and assistants are high on the list of jobs that are prone to being disrupted by AI—and a Bloomberg report this week indicates the shift is already underway.
Executive assistants at professional services firms are being cast aside, according to Bloomberg: In February, PwC reportedly laid off 600 employees in the U.S.—including assistants and recruiters, among other back-office roles—and its peers have taken similar measures.
Deloitte, KPMG, and EY have eliminated non-client-facing support staff over the past year, as have consulting firms like McKinsey. EY and McKinsey have also relocated executive assistants, either to states with a lower cost of living or out of the U.S. altogether. Bloomberg found that this trend is impacting jobs at banks and law firms as well.
It’s not entirely unprecedented for professional services firms to cut back on such roles when budgets are tight, and some former staffers told Bloomberg they suspect part of the impetus for the layoffs is to ensure partner compensation remains intact.
But these firms are also seeing less demand overall and—like other employers—are under pressure to embrace AI and reduce costs. According to Bloomberg, the cuts at PwC were fueled in part by greater automation and AI adoption at the firm.
Traditionally, executive assistant positions can provide relatively stable employment—and the pay is nothing to scoff at, crossing $100,000 in the finance industry. In the era of AI, however, these jobs are among the most highly exposed.
Earlier this year, researchers at the Brookings Institution and GovAI concluded that secretaries and administrative staff are likely to lose jobs to AI and will struggle to adapt more than other displaced workers, making it more difficult for them to find new positions. The losses across administrative roles are also likely to disproportionately affect women, who are overrepresented in the jobs most impacted by automation.
The fallout goes beyond any one sector—and it’s not just college-educated workers who will bear the brunt of it.
Another report from the Brookings Institution, in partnership with the nonprofit Opportunity@Work, revealed that AI will derail important career pathways for workers without college degrees, too. Those workers often rely on what are described as “gateway” jobs, which can be a stepping stone to higher-paid roles.
Administrative roles have traditionally provided a portal into white-collar work for noncollege graduates. If assistants and support staff at some of the most prestigious firms in the country are already being shown the door, there’s no telling how AI might upend administrative jobs with far less job security.