As artificial intelligence continues to transform our economy and workplaces, there’s a growing concern that not all workers face the same risks. Women, in particular, are disproportionately exposed to the displacement effects of AI, a fact backed by research and seen daily by those working in digital inclusion.
For many years now myself and the team at Cosmic, have been working with a wide range of businesses and organisations as they develop their digital plans and strategies for the years ahead. During the course of this work we’ve recognised very clearly the imbalance of risks when it comes to female-held roles, and have urged business leaders to act swiftly to support their women to upskill and understand the threat of role displacements. However, I can firmly say that almost ten years after first voicing these concerns, very little seems to have changed and developed. We can’t sleepwalk our way into this situation. Otherwise millions of women in the UK are going to find out too late that their work patterns, income levels and position in the workforce has shifted – and we can say with a good degree of certainty that this won’t lead to a raft of “new jobs”, at least in the short term.”
Why Are Women’s Jobs at Greater Risk?
The reasons are complex and rooted in structural inequalities. But here are the key drivers:
1. Jobs and Repetitive Tasks
Women are overrepresented in roles like administration, customer service, data entry, and payroll – roles that are highly automatable due to their repetitive, rules-based nature. In contrast, many male-dominated jobs (in trades, tech, or leadership) are less exposed, or even enhanced by AI.
2. Lack of Access to Digital Upskilling
Despite national campaigns to improve digital skills, there remains a significant gender gap in access to training and development, especially in AI and data-related fields. Many women in mid-career roles lack both the time and the opportunity to retrain, particularly in part-time or flexible jobs.
3. Sector Exposure
Women dominate sectors like healthcare admin, education support, hospitality, and public sector services, all areas seeing increasing automation pressure. While AI tools can support service delivery, they also reduce the need for human input, particularly in back-office and clerical functions.
4. Part-Time and Flexible Work
Women are twice as likely to work part-time, often in lower-paid and less secure roles. These are the very jobs most at risk of AI-led restructuring, and they’re also least likely to be protected by internal investment in upskilling or digital transition planning.
5. Design Bias in AI
The AI systems being deployed across businesses are often built without diverse teams, leading to automation priorities that reflect existing workplace hierarchies. This can mean women’s roles, already undervalued, are more likely to be replaced rather than enhanced.
The Risk Is Real and Immediate
The UK workforce is already showing signs of this shift. From local authorities automating customer service to retail firms using AI for inventory and scheduling, the wave is here. And while some are heralding a boom in “new AI jobs,” the reality is that these jobs require time, training, and access, which women currently lack in sufficient numbers.
“We can’t sleepwalk our way into this situation. Women’s roles are three times more likely to be impacted by AI than men’s”
What Needs to Happen Now
To avoid deepening gender inequality in the age of AI, we need urgent, strategic action:
- Businesses must audit their workforce for AI vulnerability and actively support female staff with targeted digital skills programmes.
- Public policy should focus on gender-responsive innovation – ensuring women are at the heart of digital strategy and retraining investment.
- Education providers must bridge the digital divide in STEM access, from school to mid-career transitions.
- AI developers and employers must design with inclusion in mind – rethinking how tech supports, rather than replaces, essential human roles.
Final Thoughts
The AI revolution isn’t gender-neutral. Without deliberate action, we risk hardwiring existing inequalities into the next generation of technology.
As leaders, employers, and policymakers, the question isn’t whether AI will reshape the workforce, it’s who will benefit, and who will be left behind.
This is why women’s jobs are especially vulnerable to AI and why we must act now. Women’s roles are 3 times more likely to be impacted by automation than men’s. Don’t wait for change, lead it.
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