AI Survey Results Special Edition: AI Tools in the EA Community  |  Spring 2026

A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Community

We are genuinely touched by the response to our recent outreach. When we asked our community about the AI tools you are using in your daily work, we did not expect the response we received. The volume, depth, and thoughtfulness of your replies have made this one of the most valuable feedback sources we've ever had from any outreach.

To every executive assistant, chief of staff, and administrative professional who shared their time — thank you. Your detailed, honest responses form the foundation of our community. This newsletter reflects your voices, experiences, and expertise.

The Surprise of the Season: Grok

One tool repeatedly appeared in your responses, which we honestly did not expect: Grok — the AI platform integrated into X (formerly Twitter). Several of you highlighted it as a primary tool for email drafting, communication assistance, and real-time research.

One of our top executive assistants and chiefs of staff shared a particularly impressive use case: she documented her entire process of coordinating complex travel arrangements for multiple executives on behalf of her CEO — using Grok from start to finish. She even filmed the project as a resource. It was a remarkable demonstration of what is possible when an experienced EA pairs her expertise with the right AI tool.
If you have not explored Grok yet, it may be worth adding to your toolkit.

Community Spotlight: AI in Action

One of the most thoughtful responses we received came from a Project Basis Administrative Consultant and business owner. Here is a summary of how she is using AI in her practice today — shared with her permission:

1. Workflow Efficiency & Prioritization

• Uses GPT-style assistants (including Duck.ai) to summarize project briefs, contracts, and long email threads into clear action lists — making it fast to separate what needs to happen this week from what can wait.
• Uses AI to draft initial project plans and work-back schedules for new client engagements, then tailors them to client needs.
• Uses Adobe's summarization tools to quickly digest longer PDFs — reports, policies, and contracts — into key points and risk areas.

2. Scheduling, Coordination & Meeting Support

• Microsoft Copilot helps with email, calendar, and task management — surfacing relevant context before meetings, suggesting follow-ups, and keeping multiple client projects organized.
• Uses AI-powered note-taking in virtual meetings to capture decisions and action items, then reviews and edits for accuracy before sharing with clients.

3. Email Drafting & Communication

• Drafts the substance of emails herself, then uses Copilot to refine tone, tighten language, and create shorter executive versions for busy recipients.
• For recurring communications — status updates, check-ins, reminders — AI generates first-draft templates to maintain consistency across multiple clients.

4. Day-to-Day Productivity & Creative Work

• Uses Canva's AI-assisted features for presentations, visual briefs, and simple marketing assets — speeding up layout, imagery, and formatting.
• Adobe stock image tools help quickly source professional visuals for client-facing materials.
• Relies on Duck.ai to research, outline, and generate structured first drafts for proposals, SOWs, and process documents — then refines with client-specific context.

Our Recommendation: Consider Adding Claude to Your Toolkit

We want to share something directly from our own experience at Tangent West — and from what we are seeing across our client base.
We currently have two client companies that have moved their entire organization onto Claude Team — Anthropic's business plan that gives teams a shared AI workspace with expanded capabilities, collaboration tools, and enterprise-grade security. If your company is exploring a unified AI platform, Claude Team is worth a serious look.

On a personal note: switching from ChatGPT to Claude initially felt a bit like cheating. ChatGPT has been a trusted tool, and it still is. However, I have found Claude to be slightly more advanced, especially in terms of nuanced writing, tone, and managing complex communications — exactly the kind of work that executive assistants and chiefs of staff handle every day.

And the momentum is real: Claude has recently been making headlines as it starts to lead in AI benchmarks and real-world professional applications. This is not a tool to sleep on.
 

More to Come

This is just the beginning. We received more responses than we can fit in a single issue, and we will be sharing additional community insights in our next edition. Stay tuned — and if you have not yet shared your experience with AI tools, it is not too late. We would love to hear from you.

Coming Soon: AI Tools & Resources on Our Website

We are excited to share that Tangent West is currently developing a dedicated AI Tools & Resources section on our website. This will be an accessible hub where you can find guidance, tool recommendations, and practical resources — available to you at any point, for any issue you may be facing in your day-to-day work.