Automation Could Force Millions of Women to Find New Jobs

Automation could force over 100 million women globally to find new occupations by 2030, a new McKinsey Global Institute study cited by the Wall Street Journal forecasts. The research shows technological advancements affect the genders almost evenly, which upends the notion that automation hits predominantly male manufacturing workers the hardest. Advancements could take the form of Alexa-like virtual assistants replacing clerical tasks, for example. Mekala Krishnan, a fellow at the McKinsey Global Institute and one of the report's authors, concurs that secretaries and bookkeepers are especially susceptible to automation. According to the McKinsey study, 72 percent of those jobs in advanced economies are held by females. The study also concedes that many jobs will be partially automated. For instance, a nurse may spend less time in the future on data entry as smart diagnostic machines and voice-recognition technology improve.