AI Skills Reshape Virtual Assistant Job Market
A VA Masters study finds nearly a quarter of virtual assistant job postings now require AI capabilities, prompting new training programs in the Philippines.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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A VA Masters study found that 23.9 percent of virtual assistant job postings required AI capabilities, with 10.2 percent naming a specific AI platform. The Department of Information and Communications Technology responded by expanding its SPARK 2.0 virtual assistance training to include AI literacy.
Why it matters
As virtual assistance work broadens into marketing, analytics and e-commerce, workers without AI skills face narrowing opportunities in a sector the Philippines supplies heavily. The shift signals that AI literacy is becoming a baseline requirement across many remote professional roles.
Of the surveyed postings, 44 percent of analytics and software engineering roles and 43.3 percent of writing and content creation roles required AI skills, while 35.6 percent of social media management roles did the same. The study does not report how many postings were reviewed in total.
The players
Department of Information and Communications Technology
The Philippine government agency responsible for digital policy, telecommunications and technology workforce programs, which runs the SPARK 2.0 training initiative.
VA Masters
A virtual assistant training and industry organization that conducted the study of AI skill requirements in virtual assistant job postings.
The details
VA Masters analyzed virtual assistant job descriptions to measure AI skill requirements across categories including design, administration and finance. The Department of Information and Communications Technology launched SPARK 2.0 in October and expanded its General Virtual Assistance training to cover AI literacy, digital marketing, search engine optimization and data analytics.
Timeline
October: The Department of Information and Communications Technology launched SPARK 2.0.
2026: The global virtual assistant services market is estimated at $6.5 billion.
2030: The global virtual assistant services market is projected to reach nearly $34 billion.
Artificial Intelligence Trajectory
The Philippines supplies 38 percent of the global virtual assistant workforce, and the new AI requirements test whether that dominant position can extend beyond routine administrative work. The projected climb of the virtual assistant services market toward $34 billion by 2030 raises the stakes for upskilling.
Remote workers seeking virtual assistant roles may find that learning AI tools and platforms is increasingly expected for positions in marketing, analytics and content creation. Those whose skills center on administrative or finance tasks face comparatively lower AI requirements today.
The takeaway
Virtual assistants who build AI literacy alongside their core skills are better positioned for the fastest-growing segments of remote work. Matching training to the specific AI demands of your chosen niche can help you stay competitive as requirements continue to shift.
Further reading
Explore more reporting in our Artificial Intelligence coverage for broader context on how AI is reshaping work.
Source note: This article includes information reported by BusinessMirror.
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