VA vs Automation – What’s the difference and where to use them?
Let’s talk about something that’s on every business owner’s radar (and possibly causing a few stress dreams): AI and automation.
Last week, the team at The Virtual Colleagues sat down for one of our regular calls, we opened up a juicy conversation:
Is AI the same as automation? Where should each be used? How to maintain personal touches and where does the VA still hold power?
Spoiler alert: We decided early on in the conversation that it's not a question of VA vs. Automation — it’s a question of what tool is best for the job, and how to use them together to increase productivity without losing the personal touch.
Let’s break it down.
First things first — what’s the difference between Ai and Automation?
We started the conversation with actually defining the difference between Ai and Automation. They often get bundled together but we felt as a team they are distinctly different. We suggested that
Automation = rules-based, repetitive tasks done faster and more accurately by machines. It follows a “when this, then that” pattern. Think inbox rules, recurring invoice sends, or scheduling posts.
AI = adaptive, predictive tools that learn from input and can “respond” in a human-like way. Think meeting transcriptions, proposal drafts, or chatbot replies.
Automation is like your reliable PA who never forgets. AI is more like a research assistant with an opinion (but still needs checking over).
As Laura put it, “Automation’s been around forever. It’s the inbox rules and recurring invoices. But AI — that’s where it feels newer, and sometimes scarier.”
Why They’re Both Essential for Productivity
The reason AI and automation are booming is simple: they save time and increase output.
They let us:
Process more information, faster
Reduce human error in routine tasks
Free up hours for the deep, meaningful work that moves the needle
Provide a more consistent client experience
As Charlotte on our team said during the call:
“If businesses aren’t embracing AI or automation, they’ll start to fall behind. It’s not about replacing the human — it’s about working smarter.”
That’s the key: these tools don’t replace people — they support them.
Why VAs Will Always Be Needed
There’s a growing myth that AI will replace Virtual Assistants. We don’t buy it — and neither do our clients.
Because at the end of the day, businesses aren’t just driven by data and deadlines. They’re driven by relationships. And you can’t automate trust.
People crave real connection, authenticity, and that genuine sense of “someone’s got this.” That’s what a good VA delivers:
A human who notices when a client is overwhelmed
A proactive presence who nudges tasks over the line
A thinking partner who asks the right questions, not just follows instructions
Someone who understands context and nuance (because sometimes, “urgent” doesn’t mean “important”)
Hadassah shared a great example during our call: her client had no idea there was an issue — because she’d already resolved it quietly, with care. That’s not something AI can do. That’s human intelligence, and it’s invaluable.
Natalie shared a brilliant analogy to explain how people relate to automation and AI:
When boxed cake mixes were first introduced, they were rejected by many housewives because they felt too artificial — like they weren't really baking. The manufacturers then made a small change: they required users to “add an egg.” Suddenly, people felt more involved in the process, and sales skyrocketed.
Her point?
People don’t want to feel replaced — they want to feel involved.
It’s the same with automation and AI. Clients want the efficiency of tech, but they still want a human involved — someone who’s adding the egg, so to speak. That human touch makes the outcome feel authentic, reliable, and real.
In Natalie’s words, this is the sweet spot: using automation to make things quicker and easier, but always keeping a person in the loop to maintain connection and care.
So where do we draw the line?
Jess summed it up perfectly:
“Anything repetitive or without emotional intelligence — that’s a good place to bring in AI or automation. But anything involving communication, care, or nuance still needs a human.”
Here’s how the team naturally divided it:
Great for AI/Automation:
Auto-generating invoices
Calendar invites and reminders
Setting up CRM tags and workflows
Scheduling content
Transcribing meetings (hello, Fireflies!)
Best left to a VA:
Responding to messages (nobody wants an AI saying “In today’s fast-paced world 🚀…” again) – That damn rocket ship emoji!!!
Inbox and email responses (a real human knows what’s important and the relationship with the person being responded to. How would Ai know that it needed to be more friendly with someone close?)
Creating personalised content with emotional depth. Ai written content is so obvious now! It is great for idea generation and structuring. But it needs a human eye to rewrite it.
Event planning and coordination. Again the structure can be generated through Ai, the reminder emails through automation, the checklists and the ideas. But the execution is still delivered by a human
Real-time problem solving
Hadassah made a great point: “AI will just run with what you set up. A VA will spot the errors, flag the gaps, and keep things on track.”
Final Thoughts
This wasn’t a technical debate. It was a human one. We’re not anti-tech — in fact, we love using AI and automation to boost our workflows — but it’s about balance.
Clients aren’t hiring us instead of automation.
They’re hiring us because we know how to blend it into their business without losing the personal touch.
You need real humans to build trust and relationships.
And you need smart tech to increase your capacity and consistency.
The future of work isn’t AI vs. VA. It’s AI-powered VAs delivering more, faster, smarter — without losing the heart of your business.
At The Virtual Colleagues, we use tech smartly — but we never lose the human. If you’re curious what that combo could look like in your business, drop me an email.
