COMMENT | MICHAEL WAMBI | As the world commemorates International Women’s Day, attention is once again turning to the progress women have made in the workplace and the challenges that remain.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the field of computer science and technology focused on creating systems and machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include, but are not limited to, learning from experience, understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, solving problems, making decisions, and adapting to new situations. AI systems achieve these capabilities through various techniques, such as machine learning, neural networks, natural language processing, and computer vision
One of the newest forces shaping the future of work is generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI), a rapidly evolving technology that is transforming industries, tasks, and skills worldwide.
However, according to a new research brief by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the impact of this technological shift is unlikely to be uniform across populations.
Instead, it may reinforce existing gender inequalities unless deliberate steps are taken to ensure women benefit from the opportunities it creates. “Generative AI is not entering a neutral labour market,” said Anam Butt, co-author of the ILO research. “Discriminatory social norms, unequal care responsibilities, and economic and labour market policies that do not fully address the needs of women and men continue to shape who enters which occupations and on what terms.
The report notes that “the impacts of Gen AI are not gender-neutral,” largely because women and men tend to work in different types of jobs. Women are heavily represented in clerical, administrative, and business support roles, occupations that often involve routine tasks that AI systems can easily perform.
As a result, the study finds that “female-dominated occupations are almost twice as likely to be exposed to Gen AI as male-dominated ones (29 per cent compared to 16 per cent).”
This does not necessarily mean that women will lose their jobs. Instead, the report suggests the bigger impact will be changes in how work is done.
According to the ILO brief, “for most occupations, the impact of Gen AI is more likely to be felt through changes in tasks, skills and working conditions rather than widespread job losses.”
These changes could bring both benefits and risks. On one hand, AI technologies can support workers by reducing repetitive tasks, improving efficiency, and even enhancing safety.
On the other hand, they could increase workloads, reduce worker autonomy, or introduce new forms of bias.
The study, which analyzed labour market data from 84 countries, shows that women are more exposed to AI-related changes in the majority of countries studied.
In fact, “women are more exposed to Gen AI than men in 88 per cent of countries in the sample.” Exposure also varies significantly across regions and income levels.
In high-income countries, where digital technologies are widely used in offices and service industries, 41 per cent of jobs are exposed to Generative AI, compared to 11 per cent in low-income countries.
The reason lies partly in how labour markets are structured. Women are concentrated in certain sectors such as health care, education, social work, administration, and service industries.
Men, on the other hand, are more likely to work in construction, manufacturing, engineering, and agriculture. The report describes this pattern as occupational segregation, where women and men cluster in different types of jobs.
“Understanding which occupations are dominated by women and men in the labour market is essential to anticipating and addressing the differential impacts of Gen AI,” the report states.
Another major concern raised in the research is women’s limited presence in the technology sector itself. While AI is expected to drive growth in tech-related industries, women remain significantly underrepresented in these fields. Globally, women account for only 30 per cent of the AI workforce, according to the ILO.
This gap means women may miss out on emerging opportunities while also having less influence over how the technology is designed.
The report warns that this imbalance could have wider consequences. “Underrepresentation in AI development risks perpetuating gender bias in technologies and deepening the digital divide.” Still, the ILO emphasizes that the outcome is not predetermined.
The choices governments, employers, and workers make today will determine whether AI deepens inequality or helps create a more inclusive labour market. “The policy choices made now will determine whether Gen AI drives greater equality or entrenches disparities in the world of work,” the report says.
Among the key recommendations are strengthening social dialogue, addressing occupational segregation, and ensuring women are represented in AI-related roles and decision-making.
As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, the findings serve as a reminder that technological progress alone does not guarantee equality.
Ensuring women share fully in the benefits of the digital transformation will require deliberate policies, inclusive workplaces, and equal access to new skills and opportunities. If these steps are taken, the rise of artificial intelligence could become not just a technological revolution—but also a turning point for gender equality in the world of work.
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