How GenAI may reshape the world of work- reports ILO-NASK

The exposure of Artificial Intelligence tools to the world of work is redefining and transforming many employment, occupations across the countries. A new ILO–NASK Global Index reveals that GenAI could transform one in four jobs.

A recent joint study by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Poland’s National Research Institute (NASK) revealed that one in four jobs globally could be impacted by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), though it suggests that these jobs are more likely to undergo transformation than be entirely replaced.

Approximately 25% of global employment is in occupations potentially affected by generative AI, with the proportion rising to 34% in high-income countries. Notably, women face significantly greater exposure to this risk. In high-income nations, 9.6% of female employment is in jobs at the highest risk of automation, compared to just 3.5% among men.

Pawel Gmyrek, ILO Senior Researcher and lead author, noted that a repeatable approach has been developed that enables countries to assess risks and respond with accuracy.

“We went beyond theory to build a tool grounded in real-world jobs. By combining human insight, expert review, and generative AI models, we’ve created a replicable method that helps countries assess risk and respond with precision”.

However, the study highlights that the figures indicate potential exposure rather than actual job losses. Due to technological limitations, infrastructure challenges, and skill shortages, the impact of GenAI will vary significantly across countries and sectors.

The report, titled: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure, offers a distinctive and detailed overview of AI’s potential impact on jobs and employment worldwide by integrating nearly 30,000 occupational tasks, expert validation, AI-driven scoring, and harmonised microdata from the ILO.

The report emphasised that countries and sectors with low digital literacy may face more severe disruptions, underscoring the need for inclusive upskilling initiatives and supportive policy measures.

Marek Troszyński, Senior Expert at NASK and co-author, affirms that the study highlights where GenAI is expected to have the greatest impact, enabling countries to better prepare and safeguard their workforce.

“This index helps identify where GenAI is likely to have the biggest impact, so countries can better prepare and protect workers. Our next step is to apply this new index to detailed labour force data from Poland”.

The key findings of the report stated that generative AI (GenAI) impacts jobs differently based on their tasks. Clerical roles are most exposed due to the ease of automating their tasks, while some high-skill digital jobs in fields like media, software, and finance are also increasingly affected. The full job automation is still rare, as many tasks still need human input. It introduces “exposure gradients” to help policymakers distinguish between jobs at risk of full automation and those likely to evolve, highlighting differing effects based on workers’ digital readiness.

“It’s easy to get lost in the AI hype. What we need is clarity and context. This tool helps countries across the world assess potential exposure and prepare their labour markets for a fairer digital future,” explained Janine Berg, Senior Economist at the ILO.

The report urges governments, employers, and workers’ organisations to engage in social dialogue and develop proactive, inclusive strategies aimed at improving productivity and job quality, particularly in vulnerable sectors.

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