Quote from Alex bobby on May 25, 2025, 3:03 AM

Women Three Times More Vulnerable to AI Job Loss Than Men, New UN Report Warns

A new report from the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation (ILO) has raised the alarm about a stark gender disparity in the looming threat of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. According to the study, women are significantly more vulnerable to job displacement by AI than their male counterparts — particularly in high-income countries.

AI Threatens Women’s Jobs at Disproportionate Rates

The comprehensive report, conducted in collaboration with Poland’s National Research Institute of the Ministry of Digital Affairs (NASK), highlights that women's jobs are not only more exposed to AI automation, but also more likely to be fully or partially replaced by emerging technologies.

According to the findings, nearly 10 percent of female-dominated jobs in high-income nations are at risk of full automation, compared to just 3.5 percent of male-dominated jobs. The discrepancy becomes even more striking when considering the broader scope of exposure: 41 percent of women’s jobs in these countries could be significantly affected by AI, versus 28 percent of men’s.

In Europe and Central Asia, the pattern holds steady — 39 percent of women’s roles are at risk, while only 26 percent of men’s roles face similar exposure.

Why the Gender Gap?

The report explains that the disparity arises from the occupational structure of the workforce. Women are overrepresented in clerical and administrative roles, which are among the most susceptible to AI-driven changes. These positions often involve routine, predictable tasks such as data entry, scheduling, and document management — precisely the kind of work generative AI systems can automate efficiently.

Professions identified as having high exposure to AI include:

• Data entry clerks
• Typists and word processors
• Accountants and bookkeeping clerks
• Web and media developers
• Database specialists
• Financial analysts and software developers

These roles often involve repetitive or process-driven tasks, making them prime targets for AI tools that can perform such duties at scale and with fewer errors.

Full Replacement Still Limited — For Now

Despite these unsettling findings, the report emphasises that full replacement of jobs by AI remains limited at present. Most occupations, the ILO notes, are composed of a mix of tasks — some of which require human judgment, creativity, empathy, and oversight, making total automation unlikely in the short term.

Instead of outright job losses, the more immediate impact of AI is expected to be the transformation of jobs, where certain tasks within a role are automated, but the broader occupation remains intact — albeit changed. This transformation, however, may demand new skills, and workers in vulnerable positions may face pressure to adapt quickly or risk obsolescence.

The Methodology Behind the Numbers

To gather data, the study surveyed 1,640 workers in Poland, covering a broad spectrum of industries and professions. Researchers then combined this information with national employment data and developed an AI-driven analysis model to predict how likely it is that 2,500 job titles and over 29,000 tasks could be automated.

This approach allowed the research team to assess not just theoretical exposure to AI, but also how technological readiness, infrastructure limitations, and workforce skills might affect the pace and depth of AI adoption.

What Can Be Done?

The report urges governments, employers, and labor organisation’s to develop “inclusive strategies” to manage the transition towards AI integration in the workplace. This includes:

• Upskilling and reskilling initiatives targeted at workers in high-risk jobs
• Investment in digital infrastructure to ensure equitable access to AI-related tools
• Regulatory frameworks to protect job quality and human oversight
• Gender-responsive policies to prevent the exacerbation of existing inequalities

“It’s easy to get lost in the AI hype,” said Janine Berg, senior economist at the ILO. “What we need is clarity and context. These technologies are coming — but the way they reshape work depends on the choices we make now.”

Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call for Policymakers

The ILO’s latest report serves as a critical reminder that AI’s promise of efficiency must be balanced against the potential for increased inequality, particularly along gender lines. As AI tools become more integrated into workplace functions, it is essential to ensure that women — who already face systemic disadvantages in many economies — are not disproportionately pushed out of the labor market.

Rather than resisting AI advancements, the path forward lies in preparation, education, and regulation. By proactively addressing the gendered impacts of automation, societies can better harness the benefits of AI while ensuring that no group is unfairly left behind.