Beyond AI Proficiency

What Microsoft’s latest workplace research means for executive support professionals—and the capabilities that will matter most.

Artificial intelligence is now part of almost every conversation about the future of work. New tools, reports and predictions appear constantly, making it difficult to distinguish meaningful developments from the surrounding noise.

For executive support professionals, the challenge is not simply keeping up. It is understanding which developments matter and what they mean for the profession.

Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index Annual Report, published in May 2026, is worth examining closely. Drawing on Microsoft 365 productivity data, a survey of 20,000 AI users across 10 countries and interviews with workplace experts, it explores how AI is changing what people can contribute—and why many organizations are not yet equipped to support that change.

For executive support, one message deserves particular attention:

AI proficiency alone will not define professional capability. Greater value will lie in knowing when and how to apply AI, how its output should be evaluated and where human responsibility must remain visible.

AI is expanding what people can contribute

Discussions about AI in executive support often begin with efficiency: summarizing meetings, drafting correspondence, organizing information and preparing presentations.

Microsoft’s research points to a broader shift.

An analysis of more than 100,000 Microsoft 365 Copilot conversations found that 49% supported cognitive work, including analysis, problem-solving and evaluation. Among surveyed AI users, 66% said AI enabled them to spend more time on higher-value work, while 58% said they were producing work they could not have produced a year earlier.

For executive support professionals, AI can help compare priorities, synthesize information, identify risks and prepare decision-ready briefings.

But greater productive capacity does not automatically create greater professional capability. AI can help produce more work; the professional must still determine whether that work is necessary, appropriate and fit for purpose.

Human responsibility does not disappear

Microsoft found that 50% of respondents regarded quality control of AI output as increasingly important, while 46% identified critical thinking and reasoned judgment. Significantly, 86% treated AI output as a starting point rather than a final answer.

An AI-produced briefing may be factually correct but fail to identify the decision an executive needs to make. A polished email may be inappropriate for the relationship, hierarchy or cultural context. A meeting summary may capture what was said while missing the tension or political sensitivity surrounding it.

The work can appear complete without being fit for purpose.

Executive support professionals must still ask:

• Is the information credible and complete?

• Has the executive’s intent been interpreted correctly?

• What cultural, organizational or stakeholder context is missing?

• Can the executive confidently rely on this work?

These are not proofreading checks. They are the professional thinking that gives executive support its value.

AI maturity is the ability to choose well

Microsoft identifies four modes of human–AI engagement: Delegation, Collaboration, Asking and Exploration. The appropriate approach depends on the task and the degree of human involvement it requires.

Advanced users were more likely to pause before beginning work and decide whether it should be completed by AI or a person: 53%, compared with 33% of other users.

A routine first draft may be suitable for delegation. A stakeholder communication may require collaboration. A sensitive matter involving trust, reputation or confidential information may need to remain primarily human.

The question is not: How much of my work can AI do?

It is: What combination of human and AI involvement will produce the most appropriate result?

Individual proficiency is not enough

Microsoft describes a “Transformation Paradox”: employees are becoming ready to work differently while many organizational systems continue to reinforce established practices.

Organizational factors—including culture, manager support and talent practices—accounted for 67% of reported AI impact, compared with 32% attributed to individual mindset and behavior.

Organizations cannot provide access to AI, offer introductory training and expect transformation to follow.

Executive support professionals can contribute important operational insight because they understand how information, priorities and actions move through an organization. They can help identify work that may benefit from AI, processes requiring redesign, standards for evaluating outputs and risks requiring human oversight.

This does not make them responsible for leading the organization’s AI transformation. Governance, policy and strategic direction remain organizational responsibilities.

What this means for the profession

As AI proficiency becomes more widely expected, professional distinction will lie in how thoughtfully and responsibly it is applied.

The Global Assistant has always maintained that executive support development must extend beyond tools, systems and task proficiency. We have been developing professionals in critical thinking, communication, cultural intelligence, stakeholder engagement and organizational awareness because these are the capabilities that enable executive support professionals to navigate complexity and contribute at a higher level.

Microsoft’s latest research reinforces the importance of that approach. As AI assumes a greater role in producing the work, the capabilities required to direct, evaluate and apply that work responsibly become even more valuable.

This is central to The Power EA International Masterclass, which strengthens the professional capabilities that experienced Executive Assistants need to operate with confidence and influence in complex executive environments.

Executive support professionals should be part of the AI conversation - not simply as users of the technology, but as informed contributors to how AI-enabled work is designed, evaluated and trusted.

Source: Microsoft, 2026 Work Trend Index Annual Report: Agents, Human Agency, and the Opportunity for Every Organization.