As AI transforms work, women have more to lose, but most to gain
Trust, empathy and critical thinking will become the currency of work as machines master routine tasks
In APAC, the pace of workplace change has gone from steady to seismic. Generative AI isn’t just accelerating transformation, it’s redrawing the map of opportunity in real time. Generative AI has taken what felt like a steady march of progress and turned it into a sprint over shifting ground. In India, half of today’s fastest-growing jobs didn’t exist at the turn of the millennium. By 2030, the skills needed to perform them will change by nearly two-thirds.
AI can free us from tedious work. But if we’re not careful, it can deepen divides just as quickly.
We’re seeing AI is reshaping jobs in three distinct ways: it’s taking over repetitive tasks so people can focus on higher-value work; it’s automating entire roles built on predictability; and it’s leaving certain jobs largely untouched, which are the ones where human judgement and trust can’t be replaced.
In theory, AI should expand opportunity. But in reality, women are standing closer to the edge. In India, 80% of women are in roles that could be augmented or disrupted by AI, compared to 75% of men. Many of these roles are concentrated in sectors like technology, retail, finance, and media, and these industries are found to be driving India’s growth story today.
Now imagine navigating a maze that keeps shifting while others are shown the shortcuts. That’s what this transition feels like for millions of women in India, where only 2 in 10 say they feel ready to adapt.
THE QUIET COST OF DOUBT
In times of disruption, confidence is often the first casualty. In India, 41% of women say they struggle to tell if they’re the right fit for a role. It’s not because they lack ability—far from it. Women are more likely than men to highlight skills like strategic leadership, adaptability, and cross-functional collaboration.
These are exactly the skills the AI era will prize most. Eight in ten HR leaders in India say soft skills are now a top hiring priority. As machines get better at the routine, the human capacity to inspire trust, lead with empathy, and think critically will become the real currency of work.
But potential is of little use if it goes unseen. Without visible ownership of these skills, women risk being overlooked in the very moment their strengths are most needed.
HIRING FOR SKILLS, NOT LABELS
One of the most powerful shifts already underway is the move to skills-first hiring, which values what people can do over where they studied or what their last job title was. In India, 78% of recruiters say they are adopting this approach. It has the potential to expand the talent pool by 11 times and open doors to candidates who have historically been overlooked.
Globally, such a shift could increase female representation in underrepresented industries by up to 12%. The ripple effect is enormous: it doesn’t just change who gets hired, it changes who gets to shape the future of work.
This is where both public and private sectors must lead decisively, from making upskilling opportunities more accessible to embedding mentorship, sponsorship, and safe workplace policies that help women not only enter but advance in high-growth, AI-impacted sectors.
What India decides will echo beyond its borders. From my vantage point across Asia Pacific, India is poised to become one of the world’s most influential talent hubs. The choices and decisions its leaders, employers, and educators make now in how they educate, hire, and shape workplace culture could set a global standard for harnessing AI in ways that advance both opportunity and inclusion. If India is able to seize this moment, it could offer a blueprint for economies worldwide navigating the same moment of change.
The promise of AI is real but only if the path to opportunity is clear and built for everyone. AI will determine much of the “what" in tomorrow’s work. But the “who" is still ours to decide. An inclusive workforce is about ensuring women are leading, influencing, and designing what comes next. As the future of work is being shaped across boardrooms and classrooms in Asia, let’s ensure women have a seat at the table.
Feon Ang is managing director (Asia Pacific) at LinkedIn.
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