AI for Executive Assistants

An executive assistant’s day is a firehose of words: emails written in someone else’s voice, meetings to summarize, briefing docs to assemble, and a calendar that never stops moving. A huge share of it is drafting and organizing, and that is exactly what AI is fast at.

It cannot exercise the discretion, read the room, or manage the relationships that define the job. Used on the first drafts and the summaries, it clears the volume so you have more room for the judgment only you bring.

Where AI Helps Executive Assistants the Most

Drafting Emails on Behalf of Executives

The key to writing in someone else’s voice is giving AI examples of how they actually write.

Prompt to try:

Draft an email on behalf of my executive [name/title] to [recipient and their role].

Purpose of the email: [what needs to be communicated or requested]
Key points to include: [list]
Tone my executive typically uses: [describe — direct and brief / warm and personal / formal / informal]
Example of how they write: [paste 1–2 short examples of their actual emails if available]
Desired length: [brief — under 100 words / medium / detailed]

The email should sound like them, not like a corporate template.

Meeting Preparation Briefings

Before important meetings, executives need context fast. AI helps structure that context clearly.

Prompt to try:

Prepare a pre-meeting briefing for [executive name] for a meeting with [who they're meeting / context].

What I know about this meeting: [purpose, background, who will be there]
Key information the executive needs to know beforehand: [paste relevant notes, emails, or background]
What decisions or outcomes are expected: [if known]

Format as:
- Meeting purpose (1 sentence)
- Background and context (3–5 bullets)
- Key people in the meeting and their role/perspective
- Questions or positions the executive may face
- Recommended talking points
- Any outstanding information needed before the meeting

Meeting Notes and Action Items

Prompt to try:

Turn these meeting notes into a clean summary and action list.

Raw notes: [paste your notes or transcript]
Meeting purpose: [what the meeting was for]
Attendees: [names and roles]

Format as:
- Meeting summary (3–4 sentences)
- Decisions made
- Action items (with owner and deadline for each)
- Items tabled for a future meeting
- Any follow-up information needed

Executive Schedule and Travel Briefings

Prompt to try:

Write a daily schedule briefing for [executive name] for [date].

Meetings and commitments: [list with times]
Travel or logistics involved: [if any]
Priority tasks outside of meetings: [list]
Items that need their decision or attention today: [list]

Format it as a clean, scannable brief they can read in under 2 minutes.

Board and Stakeholder Reports

AI can help structure and draft sections of reports that the executive then reviews and refines.

Prompt to try:

Help me draft an executive summary for a [monthly / quarterly] report.

The audience: [board members / investors / senior team]
Key metrics and highlights: [paste the main data points]
What went well this period: [summary]
What challenges or risks exist: [summary]
What decisions or attention is needed from this audience: [if any]

Write a concise executive summary (under 300 words) that gives decision-makers what they need without burying it in detail.

Handling High-Volume Routine Correspondence

Prompt to try:

Write template responses for these common email types I handle regularly.

[Describe 3–5 types of emails you respond to frequently — e.g., meeting requests from external parties, speaking invitations, vendor inquiries, press requests]

For each, write a polite, professional response that:
- Acknowledges the request
- Gives a clear answer (decline / redirect / request more information / confirm)
- Closes warmly without being overly formal

I'll customize these templates for each specific email I receive.

Preparing the Executive for Difficult Conversations

Prompt to try:

Help me prepare talking points for [executive name] for a difficult conversation with [person/role].

The situation: [describe what needs to be addressed]
The desired outcome: [what the executive wants to achieve from this conversation]
The other person's likely perspective or concerns: [if you know]

Provide:
- A suggested opening that sets the right tone
- 3–4 key points to communicate clearly
- How to handle likely pushback or emotional responses
- A suggested close that leaves the relationship intact

Mistakes to Avoid

Sending AI-drafted communications without thorough review. An EA’s credibility depends on the quality of what goes out under the executive’s name. Read every AI draft carefully, check for tone, accuracy, and that it actually sounds like the person you’re representing.

Sharing confidential executive information in AI prompts. Be careful about what business details, personnel matters, or strategic information you paste into AI tools. Use your organization’s approved tools or anonymize sensitive details.

Using AI as a substitute for understanding the executive’s priorities. AI drafts based on what you tell it. If you don’t have a clear understanding of what the executive actually wants to communicate, no amount of AI prompting will fix that. The judgment layer is yours.

Creating over-long briefings. Executives are pressed for time. An AI-generated briefing that’s 3 pages long when it could be half a page defeats the purpose. Push AI to be concise, then edit for further brevity.