Don't Expect AI to Do All Your Admin Just Yet

We often hear about AI doing amazing things, and it's easy to imagine it taking over all our fiddly admin tasks. But a recent study by tech giant Huawei gives us a bit of a reality check. They developed something called the 'Claw-Anything' benchmark, which is essentially a tough test for AI models.

The results were a bit surprising. Even the best AI couldn't manage more than about a third of the tasks a real personal assistant handles daily. These aren't even super complex things, but more like a series of interconnected steps that require a bit of common sense and understanding, like booking a flight while taking into account preferences and unexpected changes.

This doesn't mean AI isn't useful; it just highlights where it's at right now. While AI can draft emails, summarise documents, or even help with scheduling individual appointments, it struggles when tasks need multiple steps, adapting to new information, or making human-like decisions without very specific instructions.

For Aussie small business owners, this means that while AI tools can definitely help with specific, repetitive parts of your day, they're not yet ready to replace a human assistant who can juggle multiple priorities and handle unexpected issues with ease. Think of AI as a really smart intern for now, rather than your experienced right-hand person. It's a reminder that truly autonomous, 'think for themselves' AI still has a fair way to go before it can handle the day-to-day complexities of running a business or a household.