National Partnership for Women & Families recommends policy changes to ensure equity for women workers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 28, 2026 – A new report, “AI and Emerging Risks for Women Workers,” from the National Partnership for Women & Families (NPWF) finds that artificial intelligence is reshaping women’s jobs and working conditions. The analysis examines the wide-ranging impacts of AI on women’s work and reveals that women of color make up more than 30 percent of workers in the jobs that are considered the most “AI-vulnerable.”
These jobs, which other researchers have designated as most likely to be exposed to AI, are those in which workers are also least likely to be able to adapt and transition to new work. Advancements in generative AI are also forcing workers to address new variations of a range of issues at work, from bias and harassment to concerns with privacy and transparency.
NPWF researchers also found that many groups of women are dramatically overrepresented in the most AI-vulnerable jobs. For white women, Latinas and American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) women, their shares of the most AI-vulnerable jobs are nearly double their shares of the overall workforce. Black and multiracial women’s shares of the most AI-vulnerable jobs are more than one and a half times larger than their shares of the workforce overall.
“AI is beginning to influence and change American workplaces, at a time when we still have so much work to do to create workspaces that are equitable and fair for women, especially women of color,” said Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “Because women are significantly overrepresented in positions such as secretaries, office clerks and receptionists, they will be uniquely affected by this technology. Without clear standards and accountability, we risk reinforcing the same inequities that have shaped our economy for decades.”
“Right now, too many workers are navigating the use of AI in their workplaces without proper protections in place,” said Tanya Goldman, senior fellow at the National Partnership for Women & Families. “Lawmakers have an opportunity – and a responsibility – to set clear rules that both support the responsible use of these tools and protect workers from harm.”
In addition, the report explains that while women make up less than half of all workers, they make up 83 percent of workers in the 15 most AI-vulnerable jobs. NPWF researchers offer policy recommendations and suggest further areas of study of AI in the workplace to ensure equity for women workers as the technology advances and expands opportunities for women into the future.
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Media Contacts:
Gail Zuagar, National Partnership for Women & Families
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