Digital divide shapes AI job outcomes
Developing countries risk disruption before seeing productivity gains.
A joint study by the International Labour Organization and the World Bank finds that AI will reshape labour markets unevenly across countries. Research covering 135 economies highlights growing risks for workers as automation expands.
Advanced economies show higher exposure to AI, particularly in clerical and professional roles. Lower-income regions face fewer direct impacts but lack the infrastructure and skills needed to capture productivity gains.
The digital divide plays a central role, with many vulnerable jobs already online and therefore exposed to automation. Workers in roles with potential benefits often lack reliable internet access, limiting opportunities.
The ILO’s findings suggest outcomes depend on infrastructure, skills and job design rather than technology alone. Policymakers are urged to improve connectivity, training and social protections to spread benefits more evenly.
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