Women around the world face a higher risk of job disruption as generative artificial intelligence increasingly automates routine workplace tasks, according to a new report by the International Labour Organisation.
The research finds that jobs dominated by women are nearly twice as likely to be exposed to GenAI compared with those largely held by men, raising concerns that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence could widen existing gender inequalities in the labour market.
Generative AI is a form of artificial intelligence capable of creating text, images and other content and performing tasks traditionally handled by humans. This technology, such as ChatGPT and other AI tools, is transforming how work is carried out across industries, particularly in roles involving repetitive and administrative duties.
According to the ILO brief titled “GenAI, Occupational Segregation and Gender Equality in the World of Work”, about 29 per cent of female-dominated occupations are exposed to GenAI, compared with 16 per cent of male-dominated jobs.
The gap widens further in roles facing the highest automation risk, where 16 per cent of women’s jobs fall into top exposure categories, against just three per cent for men.
The disparity is largely linked to occupational segregation. Women remain heavily represented in clerical, administrative and business support roles, including secretaries, receptionists, payroll clerks and accounting assistants, where tasks are routine and easier for AI systems to automate. Men, by contrast, are more concentrated in construction, manufacturing and manual trades, which are less susceptible to automation.
At the country level, women were found to be more exposed to GenAI than men in 88 per cent of countries analysed. In several economies, more than 40 per cent of women’s employment faces exposure to the technology, particularly in high-income countries where digital adoption is more advanced.
“Generative AI is not entering a neutral labour market,” co-author of the ILO research Anam Butt said. “Social norms, unequal care responsibilities, and labour policies continue to shape who enters which occupations, leaving women concentrated in roles more exposed to automation.”
The report stresses that GenAI is not inherently neutral. AI systems can replicate societal biases, putting women at a further disadvantage in areas such as recruitment, pay, and access to services. The impact is compounded for women facing intersecting forms of discrimination, including race, disability, and migration status.
Experts say policy decisions today will determine whether GenAI becomes a tool for equality or entrenches existing gaps. Embedding gender considerations in AI design, improving women’s access to STEM education, and strengthening labour market institutions are critical steps to ensure the technology benefits all workers.
“Women are at higher risk, but the outcome is not predetermined,” Senior Economist and Co-author of the report Janine Berg stated. “With the right policies, social dialogue, and gender-responsive design, we can prevent AI from reinforcing existing discrimination.”
The ILO calls on governments, employers, and workers to collaborate on how GenAI is introduced at work so that technological change can support productivity, job quality, and a more inclusive future for all.
