Now they go the way of the steno pool.

  It was before my time, but there once was something called the steno or typing  pool in many large businesses. Next on the layoff list will be the executive's personal assistant.  Here's a NPR radio segment on developments by Microsoft to make this job obsolete.

While I understand the technology makes it possible, an executive that needs an assistant is not going to learn how to master the technology.  It's still much too easy to say just take care of it to a human being.  And a personal assistant is a power symbol, I have one and you don't. Even in a shrinking corporate environment going more virtual.