Isophoric News · Wednesday, October 21, 2026
History suggests AI's job impact may fall more heavily on women, CNBC reports
The history of technological change suggests AI's employment impact may hit women harder than men, CNBC reported, citing automatic telephone switches, the washing machine and the personal computer. Ariane Hegewisch of the Institute for Women's Policy Research said AI is focused on routine tasks, the clerical and administrative jobs many women hold, and the International Labour Organization concluded in March that nearly one in 10 women in high-income countries works in occupations at the highest risk from AI. Economists who studied telephone operators found many lost their jobs and careers, but that the next generation of women fared better; a 2022 paper found software adoption in office work was tied to a 1% decline in employment in that sector and a 3% increase in wages for college graduates. CNBC says the outlook for AI is unclear.