AI is no longer seen as a potential technological disruptor, it is one. Artificial Intelligence has and is a driver of deep structural change in the workforce—one that carries complex social, operational, and ethical risks.
Recent findings from the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation and Poland’s National Research Institute underscore this disruption: roles traditionally held by women, such as administrative and secretarial positions, are significantly more vulnerable to automation, with 9.6% of these roles at risk, compared to just 3.5% of jobs more commonly held by men. While these roles may not vanish outright, they will be forced to evolve rapidly to stay relevant in an AI driven environment.
The report’s key findings include:
- New “exposure gradients”, which cluster occupations according to their level of exposure to Generative AI, help policymakers distinguish between jobs at high risk of full automation and those more likely to evolve through task transformation.
- 25 per cent of global employment falls within occupations potentially exposed to GenAI, with higher shares in high-income countries (34 per cent).
- Exposure among women continues to be significantly higher. In high-income countries, jobs at the highest risk of automation make up 9.6 per cent of female employment – a stark contrast to 3.5 per cent of such jobs among men.
- Clerical jobs face the highest exposure of all, due to GenAI’s theoretical ability to automate many of their tasks. However, the expanding abilities of GenAI result in an increased exposure of some highly digitized cognitive jobs in media, software and finance-related occupations.
- Full job automation, however, remains limited, since many tasks, though done more efficiently, continue to require human involvement. The study highlights the possibly divergent paths for occupations accustomed to rapid digital transformations – such as software developers – and those where limited digital skills might have more negative effects.
- Policies guiding the digital transitions will be a leading factor in determining the extent to which workers may be retained in occupations that are transforming as a result of AI, and how such transformation affects job quality.
The situation becomes even more concerning when we factor in broader labour market sentiment and adoption trends. As reported by LinkedIn’s Chief Economic Opportunity Officer Aneesh Raman in The New York Times, 63% of over 3,000 surveyed executives believe that AI will soon take over many of the mundane tasks currently assigned to entry-level employees. This shift is contributing to growing career pessimism among Generation Z—particularly troubling when combined with data showing that women are adopting AI tools at a significantly lower rate than men.
Layering these insights together paints a sobering picture: a challenging and potentially inequitable job market is emerging for early career workers. This is not only a talent risk, but also a systemic risk with long-term implications for workforce diversity.
From a risk management standpoint, organisations must be proactive. This means embedding AI risk into enterprise risk management frameworks, ensuring that digital workforce strategies account for equity and inclusion, and aligning reskilling initiatives with areas of greatest displacement risk. It’s also vital to close the gender adoption gap in AI tools and literacy—before it becomes another structural divide.
If we don’t address these disparities head on, we risk widening existing inequalities under the guise of technological progress.
