AI threatens millions of jobs held by US women, new study warns

WASHINGTON – Women working in clerical and administrative roles face a disproportionate risk of job displacement as artificial intelligence transforms the U.S. workforce, according to a new report from the Brookings Institution and the Center for the Governance of AI.

The study identifies more than 6 million employees at high risk of losing their jobs to AI. These workers may face significant hurdles in transitioning to new careers due to older ages and limited personal savings.

Within the most vulnerable category of workers, women account for 86% of the total.

Mark Muro, a researcher at the Brookings Institution, said the findings reflect specific job functions rather than worker competence. He noted that the trend of technology replacing these specific roles has been ongoing for decades.

The report offers some optimism, however, finding that roughly 70% of employees in AI-affected roles could potentially transition into new positions with comparable pay. These opportunities are most prevalent in sectors such as marketing and finance.

Other experts suggested the transition may not be immediate. Analysts from Oxford Economics noted there is currently little evidence that companies are replacing staff with AI on a large scale.

The Brookings Institution’s latest analysis offers a sobering departure from generic warnings of an AI-driven labor apocalypse, focusing instead on a more insidious reality: the asymmetric impact of automation on gender and skill sets. The critical data point is not the sheer volume of jobs at risk, but the demographic concentration. With 86% of the most vulnerable workers identified as women—primarily in administrative support roles—the report underscores a structural pivot in the automation narrative. The next wave of disruption will not merely target the manual labor of the factory floor; it is aimed squarely at white-collar support functions.

A distinct paradox is emerging within the labor market. High-skill professionals in sectors such as finance and marketing, while highly exposed to AI, are better positioned to weather the transition. For these cohorts, AI serves as a productivity multiplier, augmenting their existing expertise. Conversely, administrative staff with narrower skill sets face the high probability of total replacement. Left unaddressed, this divergence is poised to exacerbate income inequality and stifle job opportunity, presenting a profound social and economic challenge.

Current rhetoric urging workers to "proactively experiment with technology" places the heavy burden of adaptation almost entirely on the individual. This perspective ignores the systemic necessity of public policy and corporate-led reskilling initiatives. Ultimately, this report from a leading think tank serves as a clear directive for Washington: the transition to an AI-integrated economy requires a cohesive federal strategy and targeted intervention, rather than a passive reliance on market self-correction.

This report has significant implications for the Vietnamese-American community. A substantial portion of our workforce—particularly first- and second-generation women—is concentrated in administrative, accounting, and clerical roles, which are now classified as high-risk for automation. From the nail salon industry to tax offices and phở restaurants in Little Saigon, Vietnamese-owned small businesses have long relied on staff to manage these essential functions. However, the availability of low-cost AI tools for appointment scheduling, bookkeeping, and customer service may push business owners to automate as a way to reduce overhead. This shift presents a dual challenge: the immediate threat of job displacement and the difficulty of retraining a workforce that often encounters linguistic and cultural barriers when navigating mainstream professional development programs.