Signal When AI Enters the Workplace, Who Faces Greater Risks? A Gendered Analysis

Summary

Gender inequality remains a structural feature embedded in labor markets, shaping women's lifetime earnings and economic security. As AI reshapes how organizations operate, this paper examines concerns that such change could unintentionally widen existing gaps. The concerns rest on three mechanisms: task automation, unequal access to upskilling opportunities, and differing returns from technological change between men and women. The paper analyzes how exposure to AI-driven workplace innovation differs between male and female workers. In doing so, it considers whether AI adoption could produce unevenly distributed outcomes by gender.