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Automation Could Cost Women Millions of Jobs
June 4, 2019
When we think of automation, we usually imagine the jobs lost will come from manufacturing and production, traditionally jobs worked by men. A new study from the McKinsey Global Institute shows that automation is likely to hit both genders almost equally.
The study estimates that automation will force 100 million women to find new jobs by 2030. New technologies will expand automation beyond the robotic arms on assembly lines. Virtual assistants will replace clerical workers, self-checkout stations in stores will reduce the number of cashiers, and artificial intelligence will reduce the need for customer service call center workers. These are all jobs that are held by a higher percentage of women.
The study looked at the largest economies in the world and found that 107 million jobs predominantly held by women are at risk of automation. This amounts to 20 percent of the female workforce, just shy of the 21 percent of the male workforce at risk of being lost to automation.
