AI’s impact on clerical work: Upskill now or fall behind

Back in the ‘90s, being a secretary, especially while studying, was a solid gig. It covered pocket money and doubled as a crash course in getting a taste of the corporate world. Scheduling meetings, managing emails, reminding the boss of key dates and keeping online documents in order were all part of the job. Fast forward to today and AI-driven apps like Todoist, Microsoft To-Do, ClickUp, and Taskade are taking over. These smart tools handle scheduling, data management, and customer queries with ease, making task and time management smoother than ever.

By now, it’s no secret that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay, growing stronger each day. The world is changing fast, and AI is at the heart of it, shaping industries from healthcare to the job market. In recent years, jobs have evolved rapidly and the coming years will bring even more shifts. Some roles will disappear, while new ones will emerge. The Future of Jobs Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) highlights a sharp decline in clerical jobs due to automation. Roles like postal service clerks, bank tellers, data entry clerks, cashiers, ticket clerks, administrative assistants, and executive secretaries are becoming less relevant as digitalisation takes over. The report also provides key insights into emerging and declining careers, predicting a net addition of 78 million jobs globally by 2030.

If you’re currently in one of these roles, you have two choices—either blame technology for taking away jobs or upskill and adapt to AI to carve out a new role for yourself. However, access to AI training continues to remain a challenge in our country. Over 95% of employers and 93% of workers in Asia report facing at least one barrier to AI skills training. Employers often lack the knowledge to implement AI workforce training programmes, while employees struggle to find the right AI training opportunities for their needs.

Vivek K Singh, Chairman and CEO, Careerera, admits that roles like cashiers, data entry clerks, and administrative assistants are among the clerical jobs that are declining rapidly. But he also instills hopes that workers in these fields can upskill in order to remain competitive in the changing job market. “Numerous specialised courses are assisting people in advancing into in-demand professions. Specialised courses like cybersecurity and cloud computing are crucial for anyone wanting to enter the growing field of digital security and IT administration. Learning digital and AI skills through courses in AI, data science, and machine learning can lead to data-centric employment. Additionally, courses in python, full-stack development, and blockchain technology help professionals to shift into tech-based careers, while upskilling in project management, digital marketing and business analytics provides opportunities in business and management. Professionals can also leverage AI tools like ChatGTP and Jasper AI for administrative support and content creation. They can learn Tableau and Power BI for data analysis, and UiPath and Automation Anywhere for process automation to further improve their employment prospects,” he said.

A July 2023 labor report by McKinsey stated that up to 30% of work hours in the US could be automated by the end of the decade. In today’s AI-driven world, staying updated isn’t a choice—it’s a necessity. As AI takes over routine tasks, human-centric skills like critical thinking, creativity, and time management become even more valuable. Employees should be encouraged to focus on soft skills and build a diverse skill set instead of relying on a single niche. This way, if AI impacts one job area, there are other opportunities to explore. Rather than seeing AI as a threat, it’s important we engage with it. Learn how AI tools can enhance your work instead of replacing it. For example, data entry operators can upskill by taking courses on data analytics, Google Sheets, ChatGPT integration in Excel, and AI-driven data aggregation. In the AI era, adapting and upskilling is the only way to stay relevant—because if you don’t embrace Generative AI in your role, someone else will.

Jaideep Kewalramani, COO and Head of Employability Business, TeamLease Edtech, mentioned how by embracing continuous learning and digital transformation, professionals in declining roles can pivot toward new opportunities in AI-enhanced roles. “It is important to know about toolkits for AI scheduling (Clockwise, Motion), transcription tools (Otter), and note-taking AI (Evernote), which can help professionals shift to virtual administrative roles. Also, improving communication and soft skills will help with developing customer service expertise. This skill can be used for managing AI chatbots like Drift and CRM software like Zoho,” he said.

Getting ready for an AI-driven future is all about upskilling, reskilling, staying informed, and staying flexible. AI isn’t here to take over. It’s just changing how we work. The sooner we learn to work with it, the faster we’ll grow in our careers.