Why AI Still Needs a Human (Like Me)

Six months ago, I wrote a post asking: Will AI replace Virtual Assistants? (Spoiler: no, but it will make us better.)

Fast forward to August, and the landscape’s shifted again, not in a big headline-grabbing way, but in the quiet details. Tools have levelled up, yes. But so have the headaches.

Here’s what I’ve seen as a working VA, running a tech-savvy, human-first business, and how I’m using (and checking) AI in the real world.

AI Is Smarter, But Also More Wrong, More Often

Let’s start with the weird bit: some of the newer tools are less reliable than the old ones. Models are hallucinating more. They’re confident, polished… and sometimes completely wrong.

I’ve tested:

• Claude (great for long content, but flaky with facts),

• ChatGPT (quicker now, but more “slippery” with numbers),

• Omni in Airtable (brilliant at spotting patterns and themes, but shaky when it comes to numbers).

I’ve watched AI generate entire project summaries, beautifully written, completely made-up. The tools are powerful. But they don’t understand what matters. You still need a human to say:

“Wait… is that even true?”
“Would the client say it like that?”
“Does this feel right?”

And that human is me. Or you.

It’s Not “Human vs AI” Anymore - It’s “Human with AI (and a Big Red Pen)”

Let’s drop the fear. AI is here. It’s useful. It’s often brilliant. But it still needs hand-holding.

What this means for us VAs:

• We’re not just doing the tasks. We’re curating, fixing, steering.

• Clients don’t want robots. They want trust. They want nuance.

• AI gives you a draft. You give it direction.

What’s Tripping People Up Right Now

Here’s what I’m seeing across the VA world (and yes, I’ve made some of these mistakes myself):

• Over-trusting AI stats: Tools fudge data more often than you’d think - especially on large spreadsheets or when logic gets layered.

• Sounding robotic: That “AI shine” is real. Perfect grammar. Mid-Atlantic tone. No contractions. No life. You’ve got to roughen it up.

• Losing the thread mid-project: Long workflows? AI still forgets where it was in the story. You’ll need to be the memory.

But There’s Good News, Too

AI is making some things much easier. Here’s what I’m happy to offload:

• Transcribing videos and meetings
  Descript, Filmora and Otter save hours.

• Generating first drafts
  Blog posts, social media copy, tricky emails, web copy - AI helps get the bones down faster.

• Rewriting something 10 different ways in 10 seconds
  Ideal for tailoring social media captions to each platform without going cross-eyed.

• Powering up website chatbots
  I use them to answer FAQs, book consults, or triage requests — they work around the clock, even when I don’t.

• Automation between tools
  I use AI+Make to pull invoice summaries or financial updates from Xero and schedule send them out without lifting a finger. I’ve also set up automations where MailerLite tags trigger file drops into SharePoint, and weekly summaries are created directly from ClickUp.

• Client brief builders & task triage tools
  I’ve prototyped internal tools that help clients figure out what to delegate, automate, or ignore entirely - all AI-assisted.

And a handful of tools are changing the game:

• Zapier’s agents: Now you can describe what you want, and it builds it.

• Airtable’s Omni: It’s like having a tiny assistant running your database.

• ChatGPT’s new file tools: Honestly? They’ve changed how I work - as long as I double-check everything.

I use these tools every day. But I don’t trust any of them blindly.

What I Never Delegate to AI

No matter how clever the tools get, some parts of this work still need care, nuance, and a real person paying attention:

• Anything emotionally sensitive

• Anything that needs instinct

• Anything client-facing

• Checking everything (twice)

What This Means for Other VAs (or Clients Hiring One)

If you’re a VA:

• Learn the tools. But don’t worship them.

• Use AI to stretch your time, not replace your judgment.

• Keep your human voice. That’s your superpower.

If you’re hiring a VA:

• Ask how they use AI. If they say “not at all,” they’re behind.

• But also ask how they double-check it. If they say “I trust it,” run.

Final Thought

AI isn’t the enemy. But it’s not your boss, either. It’s a slightly overconfident intern: fast, brilliant, a little unhinged. You need to manage it - not the other way around. In 2025, the real magic isn’t in the tool. It’s in the person using it.