Co-Founder Interview: How Meta Concierge Will Change the US Job Market
Meta has released a new AI assistant, ‘Muse’, which promises to take care of everyday chores. From sending emails to booking trips, the feature is designed to do the routine phone work people often put off. The Muse agent has topped the US app download charts since its debut.
With automized personal assistants such as Muse becoming more popular, international luxury household staffing experts at Morgan & Mallet have commented on how AI has impacted the role of household staff, and what changes they predict.
Laurine Mallet, Co-founder and Household Staff Recruitment Expert at Morgan & Mallet, commented on what the household staffing agency has seen:
According to Laurine, Demand For Personal Assistants Has Already Begun to Fall:
“I feel we have seen a decline in requests for personal assistants. I’m certain a lot of people are using AI to try to solve problems or handle administrative tasks instead of working with a personal assistant,” she says.
The Shift Appears to be Particularly Noticeable in Europe:
“We used to receive a lot of requests in Europe, mostly in France, but also in Belgium and Monaco, for personal assistant roles. Now, we have seen around a 20% decline in demand.”
Looking Further Ahead, Laurine Believes the Traditional Personal Assistant Role Could Face an Even Greater Transformation Over the Next Decade:
“I don't know for certain, but I think the personal assistant role is going to be gone. I think it's really sad. With technology constantly evolving, people across the industry need to think about their skills, because AI can replace human beings in many of their everyday activities.”
However, Laurine Thinks Not Every Household Role is Equally Vulnerable to Automation.
Laurine believes positions that rely on human connection and emotional intelligence will be among the safest. “I would say the nanny and caregiver roles are the safest,” she says.
Laurine Says That in Contrast, More Task-Oriented Positions Could be More Vulnerable. She Comments:
“When you look at butlers, imagine that tomorrow we have robots living in our households. You could have a robot instead of a human butler. If the role is simply serving a plate or cleaning your shoes, perhaps you don’t really care whether it is a human or a robot.”
On Which Household Roles Are the Safest Against the Rise of AI:
"I would say the nanny and caregiver.”
Technology is Already Allowing Some Families to Reduce Their Reliance on Traditional Household Staff. Laurine Recalls:
“We had one client in Saint-Tropez who installed a lot of alarms and cameras and, as a result, reduced his security staff. He once had two or three people working in security, plus a guardian couple, and decided to only have the guardian couple to monitor the cameras.”
But Laurine Does Not Believe Technology Will Necessarily Make Personal Assistants Obsolete Overnight:
“I think the role will evolve over the years. With technology continuing to develop, personal assistants will need to be well informed and knowledgeable about advancements in order to be as useful and proactive as possible.”
While AI is capable of answering questions and completing administrative tasks, Laurine believes there is one key area where luxury staffing should remain distinctly human: personal interaction.
This is Why Morgan & Mallet is Reluctant to Replace Human Contact With AI When Communicating With Candidates and Clients:
“We are working in a luxury market, and it would be cheaper and easier to have a robot answering candidates or clients,” she says. “But even for candidates, it is so important to have someone there. It is part of the image of the company.”
Laurine Mallet, Co-founder and Household Staff Recruitment Expert at Morgan & Mallet
