AI Threatens Women in Clerical and Administrative Roles
Women face higher risks of AI-driven job losses due to their disproportionate representation in routine clerical and administrative occupations.
Research indicates that women are more vulnerable to job losses from artificial intelligence because they disproportionately occupy clerical and administrative roles focused on routine tasks. The International Labour Organization reported in March that nearly 10% of women in high-income countries work in occupations categorized as being at the highest risk from AI automation.
Historical precedents illustrate the impact of automation on female labor. The introduction of automated telephone switches by AT&T eliminated approximately 75,000 female operator jobs, while the rise of the personal computer shifted clerical duties away from dedicated secretaries. While some past technologies, such as the washing machine, eventually increased female labor force participation by reducing unpaid domestic work, experts warn that AI differs in its capacity to learn.
Ariane Hegewisch of the Institute for Women's Policy Research notes that AI's focus on patterns and routine tasks specifically targets the administrative jobs that women frequently hold. There is growing concern that as AI moves up the value chain, it may threaten higher-skilled roles that previously provided a buffer against automation.
