Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly transforming the world of work, offering opportunities to increase productivity, create jobs and improve job quality. However, its impact is not gender-neutral. A new research brief by the International Labour Organization (ILO) highlights that women’s jobs are more likely to be affected by GenAI than men’s. The study explains that female-dominated occupations are almost twice as likely to be exposed to this technology. This disparity stems from several factors, including women’s concentration in occupations vulnerable to automation, their underrepresentation in science and technology-related fields, and the presence of gender biases within many AI systems.
The research finds that around 29 percent of female-dominated occupations are exposed to GenAI, compared with 16 percent of male-dominated jobs. The gap becomes even wider when considering occupations at the highest risk of automation, where 16 percent of female-dominated roles fall into this category, compared with only 3 percent of male-dominated ones. This pattern reflects long-standing occupational segregation, where women are more likely to work in clerical and administrative positions such as secretaries, receptionists and payroll clerks. These jobs often involve routine and codifiable tasks, making them more susceptible to automation. In contrast, men are more frequently employed in sectors like construction, manufacturing and manual trades, where tasks are less easily automated.
The analysis also shows that women face greater exposure to GenAI in most countries studied. In 88 percent of the countries analysed, women’s employment is more exposed to the technology than men’s. In some economies, including Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the Philippines, more than 40 percent of women’s jobs are exposed to GenAI. High-income countries overall show higher exposure levels, with 41 percent of jobs affected compared to 11 percent in low-income countries. These differences largely reflect variations in occupational structures and the level of digital readiness across economies.
Despite the growing influence of AI-driven industries, women remain underrepresented in these sectors. In 2022, women accounted for only about 30 percent of the global AI workforce, showing only modest growth from previous years. Women are also less represented in broader STEM occupations, particularly in high-demand areas such as engineering and software development. This imbalance limits women’s access to new employment opportunities and skills development, while also reducing diversity and innovation within the technology sector.
The ILO brief also emphasizes that technologies like GenAI are shaped by the societies in which they are developed and used. As a result, they can reproduce existing biases and inequalities. AI systems trained on incomplete or biased data have already shown tendencies to disadvantage women in areas such as recruitment, pay decisions, credit evaluation and access to services. These risks can be even greater for women facing multiple forms of discrimination, including those related to race, ethnicity, disability or migration status.
The report stresses that the most significant impact of GenAI may be on job quality rather than job numbers. The technology could alter job tasks, increase workplace monitoring, intensify workloads or reduce worker autonomy. At the same time, if implemented responsibly, it also has the potential to improve working conditions, increase productivity and support better work–life balance.
Ultimately, the outcomes will depend on policy decisions and the way the technology is designed and implemented. Ensuring gender equality in the development, governance and deployment of GenAI is essential. Expanding women’s access to skills training, addressing occupational segregation and increasing women’s representation in AI-related roles can help ensure that the benefits of technological change are shared more equally.
The ILO concludes that with the right policies, strong labour market institutions and effective social dialogue between governments, employers and workers, the introduction of GenAI can support decent work while promoting a more inclusive and equitable future of work.
