Women in the workplace disproportionately affected by AI, report

Jobs most often performed by women are most prone to automation, but some roles previously thought less vulnerable have risen up the exposure scale, finds ILO

In an update to an earlier report on the impact of GenAI on jobs the UN International Labour Organisation (ILO) has found that, while clerical jobs remain most prone to automation, GenAI has not filled the gaps as much as anticipated. Meanwhile, it’s impact on some other professions has been revised upwards.

The latest data from the ILO has found that one in four workers across the world are in an occupation with some degree of exposure to GenAI, with that figure rising to 34% among higher income countries. However, its latest figures, which update a 2023 report, suggest that most roles will be transformed rather than eliminated because of the continued need for human input.

Clerical jobs continue to be the most likely to be affected by GenAI, the ILO says, but highly digitised roles such as web and media developers, statistical and database specialists and financial and software-related professions have seen an increase in the impact of GenAI compared with two years ago.

The report divides professions into four “exposure gradients” with gradients 3 and 4 the most exposed. Gradient 4 – roles with the most exposure – includes data entry, accounting and book-keeping, financial analysts, contact centre salespeople and payroll clerks. These are roles with a “high potential of automation, with little variability in task-level exposure.”

They are also roles more likely to be occupied by women, the report notes.

“Not only is the total share of female employment exposed to GenAI notably higher, but the difference is also concentrated in the top two gradients, with 5.7% of female employment in gradient 3 and another 4.7% in gradient 4. These disparities are even more pronounced in high-

income countries.”

However, the likelihood of these roles being automated away is less than was thought in 2023, when the AI hype was in full swing and its trajectory less clear. Two years of experimenting with GenAI tools have illuminated the gap between theoretical potential for automation and its practical realisation, says the ILO.

“While tasks such as taking meeting notes or scheduling appointments can significantly benefit from GenAI support, our 2023 scores … reflected an overly optimistic assessment of full automation potential.”

Even within the most at-risk jobs, such as data entry, there are tasks that remain stubbornly resistant to takeover by machine.

This may be illustrated by the experience of financial services firm Klarna, which has started hiring people again, after discovering that AI chatbots could not match human-based customer service.

Meanwhile, a report by the US National Bureau of Economic Research found that, on average, workers who used AI tools save only about 3% of their time.

On the other hand, some roles thought less likely to be impacted by GenAI in 2023 have risen up the exposure scale. These include coders; web and multimedia developers; statistical and mathematical professionals; sys admins; database designers and admins; and financial advisers.

The report notes that integrating GenAI into the workplace can allow workers greater time for more fulfilling work or to heighten their expertise. However, it could also be used to standardise

processes and reduce human autonomy.

“For this reason, social dialogue and workplace consultation are needed to ensure that the development and integration of GenAI tools at the workplace is a boon for both working conditions and productivity.”