Women in Tech and Finance at Higher Risk From AI Job Losses, Report Says

Why It Matters

The disproportionate impact on women threatens gender equity and amplifies the looming digital talent shortage, risking significant economic loss for the UK. Targeted reskilling offers a cost‑effective path to retain talent and sustain growth.

Key Takeaways

• AI threatens 119,000 clerical jobs, mostly women.
• Rigid CV screening discriminates mid‑career women.
• Reskilling could save £757 million in redundancy costs.
• 12,000 digital vacancies stayed unfilled in 2024.
• Talent gap may cost UK £10 billion by 2035.

Pulse Analysis

The rapid adoption of generative AI and robotic process automation is reshaping labour markets across the United Kingdom, but the impact is not evenly distributed. A recent City of London Corporation analysis reveals that women employed in tech‑heavy and financial services are disproportionately vulnerable to displacement, with an estimated 119,000 clerical positions—largely occupied by females—at risk over the next ten years. The report attributes part of this exposure to entrenched hiring algorithms that penalise career interruptions for caregiving, effectively sidelining mid‑career women who already face under‑representation in digital roles.

Beyond the social equity dimension, the findings present a clear business case for proactive talent development. The corporation calculates that reskilling the affected workforce could avert up to £757 million in redundancy payouts, while simultaneously filling more than 12,000 vacant digital jobs that remained unfilled in 2024. Companies that shift from experience‑centric screening to potential‑focused assessments stand to unlock a broader talent pool, reduce hiring costs, and improve retention. Practical steps include targeted upskilling programmes, mentorship pipelines, and revising AI‑driven recruitment tools to recognise non‑linear career paths.

From a macroeconomic perspective, the gendered talent gap threatens to erode the United Kingdom’s competitive edge in the global digital economy. The report warns that if the current trajectory continues, the nation could miss out on more than £10 billion of growth by 2035, a shortfall that would reverberate across GDP and tax revenues. Policymakers and industry leaders are therefore urged to collaborate on national reskilling initiatives, incentivise inclusive hiring practices, and fund continuous learning ecosystems. Such coordinated action can transform a looming risk into a catalyst for sustainable, inclusive innovation.