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I was sat soaking up the expectant chatter, just observing. A room full of Executive and Personal Assistants, and I felt it. As I always do. That unspoken buzz, part admiration, part quiet self-check. A mix of competition, sharp minds, big energy, calm confidence, and that little voice in the back of your head wondering: Am I doing enough? Am I still ahead of the curve? Am I relevant?

That was the panel discussion I attended a few weeks ago, hosted by the top-class team at Lily Shippen, the focus, “Navigating AI and Its Impact on Executive and Personal Assistants” A room filled with all kinds of talent, some EAs who’ve seen it all and still move with grace and precision. Others, fresh-faced and full of fire, ready to rewrite the playbook.

If you’re an EA, you get it. You read the room without even trying. If you’re anything like me, you naturally compare yourself too. In a good way. Sometimes not so positively. You spot who’s on it, who’s holding it all together, who’s inspiring, who challenges you, and who just feels like your kind of person.

And the real power of that moment? It wasn’t competitive, it was connective. We were all different. But we all belonged and were there as our curiosity had been piqued. We wanted to hash out between us, with the direction of a diverse panel, how AI was going to affect us and how it maybe already is.

And what made it even better? Most of us were either based in Manchester or had made the trip here for this very discussion. A room full of dynamic people. In the heart of a city known for its grit, soul, humour and straight - talking brilliance.

We all know, but always worth repeating, this amazing fact: before Silicon Valley even had a name, Manchester had already built the future. In 1948, led by Alan Turing, the University of Manchester created the world’s first stored-program computer. That wasn’t just a tech milestone, it was the start of everything AI would become.

And if Alan Turing had an EA? I like to think they would have been a total powerhouse, very resilient, just like us. They would have anticipated needs, translated chaos into clarity, and maybe even helped our Alan send fewer half-finished memos. A quietly magnificent partner behind a revolutionary mind.

Manchester EAs, I believe, are something else. We move fast, we get it done, and we don’t shout about it even though we should.

As I walked back down Deansgate to our Spinningfields office, something shifted. I felt empowered. Like, really empowered. Not by the tech itself, but by the potential of what it can unlock in us.

My Truth About AI (And Why I'm Using It)

Here’s my take, for what it may be worth. AI isn’t here to replace us; it reflects what we do best and supports what we may struggle with. It’s not a shortcut or a cheat code. It’s a tool, a muscle if you will. One that can help us operate at the next level, if we’re brave enough to embrace and flex it.

Because personally, I know if I don’t… one of my pressing concerns in this arena, is that someone fresher, faster, and more open to change, will swoop in and take the space I know I belong in. Someone who’s keeping up with the pace could end up supporting the people I want to work with, growing in the career I’ve worked so hard to build. The only difference between me and them would be that they did it. They bit the bullet. Not because they are better, just because they were brave enough to go first.

That thought? It lights a fire under me.

I want to be part of the future. I want to work with the best. Keep evolving in this role. And look back one day knowing I grew, made smart choices and enjoyed the ride.

So yes, for the past year I’ve started using AI like it’s my own EA, a luxury most EAs never get, but my goodness do we need it. It gives me more hours in my day, an extra set of hands with which to spin plates, and sharper output, because I direct it. It’s not all about time-saving either. Sometimes I need to flex that muscle I just don’t have, sometimes I need to collaborate and bounce ideas or process confidential information with someone in what is a notoriously lonely and isolated role, that of an EA.

And yes, I refer to AI, in her many forms as “her.” That’s deliberate. In my head, she’s a version of me, supercharged. Smarter, faster, more focused. The me I’d be if I had 10 hours of sleep, no child, no responsibilities, a clear inbox, and no interruptions. (And yes, it probably means I’m losing the plot, and I need more targeted help than even AI can offer... but here we are.)

She’s not warm, she’s not chatty, but she is relentless when it comes to delivery.

Had I had her sooner, my days would’ve been easier, and my career, even stronger. I would have been empowered in ways I could have really used a lot sooner. And no, she doesn’t replace me. What she does is free me up to do the parts of my job I actually love, be with the people, move with the pace, grow into the potential, not drown in the mundane.

In my role, I work with Bankers at the world’s leading M&A firm. They’re sharp, analytical, and under massive pressure. They use AI differently, but the way I use it helps them. This is true of much of the support roles within the group. I anticipate better, respond faster, and create more headspace for real thinking. Half the time, they don’t even know AI had anything to do with it.

That’s how it should be.

AI Doesn’t Replace Us, It Raises the Bar We Already Set

We shouldn’t compare ourselves to AI, we’re incomparable. But like in that room at the panel I spoke about, comparison itself isn’t the enemy. It’s natural, and when it’s grounded in curiosity and ambition, it can drive us forward. It reminds us, we’re part of something bigger.

We’re not just admin support anymore. That is so offensively insufficient in way of summary. We’re business partners. Culture shapers. Strategic thinkers. Calm voices in the noise. We are attracting higher salaries, and more is being expected of us, all because we are more than capable and our value is being seen by people who are also brave enough to face change.

AI isn’t taking that from us. It’s giving us more space to do it. It will not replace us, but help us to evolve, with focus, intention and with purpose.

Once you learn something with AI’s help, whatever form it comes in, the skill is yours. You don’t just become faster. You become sharper. More confident. More effective.

And that’s something no one can take away from you.

This One’s for Manchester

I’ve got incredible EA colleagues all over the world. But this one? This post is for my Manchester people.

We’ve got a different kind of spark. We show up. We work smart. We handle pressure with humour and grace. We bring the magic without needing the spotlight, even though we deserve it. I couldn’t be prouder to be where I’m from, and to be with people who inspire me to be better daily, in my city.

If there’s a tool that helps us move faster, think clearer, and show up better, we’ll figure it out. We’ll share it. We’ll use it with intention.

We don’t need to be experts on day one. We just need to be in the room, open-minded, and willing to lead together.

That’s what Manchester does.

AI is already shaping how we show up, faster, sharper, more capable. But this isn’t just about keeping pace. It’s about setting it.

If you're a Manchester EA and you haven’t started using AI yet, now’s the time. Explore it, try it, challenge it. The tech is here, and it’s not slowing down.

And if you are already using AI? Don’t keep it to yourself. Share what’s working. Post your wins, your prompts, your lessons. Let’s lift each other through this shift, because this city and this community thrives when we move forward together.

So, let’s stop wondering if we’re keeping up. As a strong EA community, lets do what we do best: lead from the front, support each other and show up ready.

Let’s lead. Together.

Bring it on.