Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the landscape of job skills and employment across various sectors. A significant shift is underway as AI technologies are increasingly integrated into workplaces, with an estimated 75pc of knowledge workers now utilising AI tools to enhance productivity and efficiency.

However, this rapid transformation is not without its challenges. Notably, a gender gap is emerging, highlighting a critical disparity in how AI impacts men and women differently in the workplace.

Online forums, blogs, newspapers, and research reports present conflicting debates on how digitalisation and automation impact women. An International Monetary Fund blog noted that digitalisation and AI are rapidly changing work, particularly affecting jobs with low- and middle-skill routine tasks, which poses significant challenges for women.

Women face an 11pc risk of job loss due to automation, compared to 9pc for men

Women face an 11 per cent risk of job loss due to automation, compared to 9pc for men. It is estimated that 26 million women’s jobs in 30 countries are at high risk of displacement within the next 20 years, with a 70pc or higher probability of automation, affecting 180m women globally, as per a study “On the Margins — Women Workers and the Future of Work, Narratives in Pakistan” by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, a German political party foundation associated with the Social Democratic Party of Germany.

An article on The Conservation website argued that women, being over-represented in fields requiring high social skills and empathy like nursing and teaching, are better positioned than men to resist and potentially benefit from work automation.

These advancements are drastically changing the way work is done, raising concerns about women’s roles in an automated and digitalised future. In Pakistan, there’s a disconnect between women’s current work positions, technological progress, and relevant policies, with limited discussion beyond occasional reports and urban-focused newspaper articles. This oversight has serious implications for women, who are often excluded from debates on productive employment and decent work.

The current landscape

AI’s integration into professional environments has become pervasive. Knowledge workers — those whose jobs primarily involve handling or using information — are at the forefront of this transition. AI tools, ranging from data analytics platforms to sophisticated machine learning algorithms, are enabling these workers to streamline operations, make data-driven decisions, and innovate at unprecedented speeds.

Despite the widespread adoption, the benefits of AI are not equally distributed. Women, who are more likely to occupy roles that are vulnerable to automation and disruption by AI, face unique challenges.

These roles, often in administrative, support, and clerical positions, are at a higher risk of being replaced by AI-driven solutions. Conversely, women are underrepresented in roles that are set to benefit the most from AI, such as in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields and AI development itself.

Unequal opportunities

Pakistani organisations are predominantly managed by men. Few women can be seen at the top slot of management in Pakistani corporate organisations. So, the impact of the gender gap on AI is multifaceted. Women are disproportionately represented in jobs that AI is poised to disrupt. According to recent studies, roles traditionally dominated by women, such as administrative assistants, customer service representatives, and data entry clerks, are at high risk of automation.

This creates a precarious situation where women may face greater job displacement compared to their male counterparts, especially in a country that is pressed with women’s economic empowerment issues.

On the flip side, women are less likely to be found in AI-enriched roles that leverage the power of these technologies. Positions in data science, AI development, and tech leadership — fields that are seeing tremendous growth and opportunity due to AI advancements — are predominantly held by men. This imbalance not only limits women’s career advancement opportunities but also exacerbates existing gender disparities in the tech industry.

Creating space for females to thrive

It is important to address this gap, create a space for women to thrive and help develop a more equitable AI-driven workplace. To address the emerging gender gap in AI, companies must invest in reskilling and upskilling programmes, prioritising training that helps employees, especially women, acquire new skills pertinent to the AI-driven job market, such as data science, machine learning, and coding.

Encouraging more women to pursue careers in STEM fields is crucial and can be achieved through scholarship programmes, mentorship initiatives, and partnerships with educational institutions. Ensuring diverse AI development teams is also essential, as it helps create inclusive and unbiased technologies, necessitating active recruitment and support for women in AI research, development, and leadership roles.

Flexible work environments, offering remote work options, flexible hours, and supportive maternity leave policies, can help women balance professional development with personal responsibilities.

Finally, leadership commitment to gender diversity through policies and practices that promote equal opportunities is vital, including setting diversity targets, tracking progress, and holding leaders accountable for creating an inclusive workplace.

These policy measures, primarily focusing on women’s economic empowerment, also include investing in education and health, enacting workplace anti-harassment laws, and promoting entrepreneurship through microcredit. The goal is to increase women’s economic opportunities and their participation in them.

AI is undoubtedly reshaping the job market, bringing both opportunities and challenges. As we navigate this transformation, it is a strategic imperative to recognise and address the emerging gender gap. By investing in reskilling programs, promoting gender diversity in STEM, and fostering inclusive work environments, leaders can create a space where women not only thrive but also drive innovation in the AI-driven future, where leaders ensure women are equally benefiting from the AI revolution, creating a balanced and forward-looking workplace.

The writer is the Head of Content at a communications agency

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, July 15th, 2024