AI Threatens Female-Dominated Jobs Twice as Much as Male-Dominated, Data Shows
New data reveals female-dominated jobs are nearly twice as likely to be disrupted by AI than male-dominated ones. This exacerbates existing disadvantages for women, who are concentrated in routine administrative roles vulnerable to AI. Policy choices now will determine future impact.
New international data published in March indicates that female-dominated occupations are almost twice as likely to be disrupted by generative AI compared to male-dominated ones. Nearly one-third of roles where women predominate are significantly exposed, versus 16 percent of jobs where men are in the majority. This gap widens further for the highest-risk positions.
This trend reflects long-term structural realities in the labor market, where women are concentrated in clerical and administrative roles involving routine, codifiable tasks—precisely the type of work AI excels at. Roles like receptionists, which provided stable employment, particularly for older women with fewer formal qualifications, are now vulnerable as employers adopt AI for scheduling, notetaking, and document preparation.
Ireland faces particular exposure, with over one in nine job postings referencing AI-related terms by November last year, three times the European average. This reflects both a desire to appear technologically current and real strategic priorities. Across the EU, where women already earn 12 percent less than men and have a 10 percent lower workforce participation rate, AI is expected to worsen existing disadvantages. McKinsey data shows women’s share of European tech roles has already dropped three percentage points since 2023.
Decisions on training, recruitment, and labor market policy made now will determine if these warning signs escalate into a crisis.