Women working in the technology and financial sectors in the United Kingdom face a greater risk of losing their jobs to artificial intelligence and automation than men, a live report published this week reveals. Experts warn that structural hiring barriers and a widening digital skills gap are pushing mid-career women to the edges of rapidly changing industries, even as thousands of roles remain unfilled. The consequences could ripple across the economy and society unless urgent action is taken.
Women in Tech and Finance Facing AI Job Loss Risk
A new analysis by the City of London Corporation shows that women, especially those with five or more years of experience, are being disproportionately affected by the rapid adoption of AI and automation in tech and financial services. According to the report, rigid hiring and automated screening processes often overlook female applicants, particularly those with career gaps related to caregiving responsibilities. This means women miss out on opportunities in roles that are quickly becoming priority areas for employers.
The corporation’s research found that up to 119,000 clerical and administrative jobs across tech and financial services – jobs predominantly held by women – could be automated over the next decade. This displacement could result in redundancy costs of around £757 million if workers are not retrained.
Industry leaders believe these figures understate the broader human impact, as job losses will not only cost income but also reduce women’s representation in the digital economy at a time when the demand for tech talent is rapidly rising.
Hiring Processes and Mid-Career Obstacles
The report highlights that many hiring processes are biased toward linear career paths and technical credentials. Automated résumé screening technologies and narrow job requirements can disadvantage applicants with non-traditional experience, including women who took career breaks for childcare or family care responsibilities.
The City of London initiative ‘Women Pivoting to Digital’ focuses specifically on mid-career female professionals who are often overlooked in digital hiring and training programs. Less than 14 percent of women in tech hold mid-career roles, according to a 2023 Deloitte report, and in fields such as AI and data science the representation is even lower.
Experts stress that narrowing this gap is not only a matter of fairness but also of economic urgency. With more than 12,000 digital jobs left unfilled in 2024, the inability to attract diverse talent is slowing growth in a sector crucial for national competitiveness.
Reskilling and Upskilling Seen as Key Solutions
To tackle the twin challenges of automation and gender imbalances, the City of London Corporation is urging employers to invest in reskilling and upskilling initiatives. Rather than focusing solely on past technical experience, companies should evaluate candidates’ potential and transferable skills, particularly for roles threatened by automation.
The Women Pivoting to Digital Taskforce, backed by businesses such as Accenture, Oliver Wyman, and the Alan Turing Institute, is working across multiple workstreams to:
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Equip employers with better tools to attract and retain women from non-technical backgrounds.
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Support training providers in preparing women for digital careers.
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Influence policy to create a more inclusive digital workforce.
This initiative aims to fill both the skills shortage and gender gap, offering structured pathways for women to move into tech, cyber security, data analytics, and other digital roles.
Broader Economic Risks and Policy Debates
The implications extend beyond gender equity. Industry analysts warn that the UK could lose more than £10 billion in economic growth by 2035 if the digital skills gap persists and women remain underrepresented in tech and finance.
Government attention is also turning to ways to mitigate AI’s impact on employment more broadly. Recent statements by UK ministers have underscored the need for policy responses such as universal basic income and expanded retraining programs to help workers adjust to an AI-driven future.
Meanwhile, the demand for specialists in AI, data reporting, and regulation continues to grow, with vacancies in these areas up by 12 percent in Britain’s financial sector. Traditional administrative roles, on the other hand, have seen employment levels decline sharply as automation becomes the norm.
Cultural and Structural Barriers at Work
Beyond skills and systems, cultural barriers contribute to women leaving tech or failing to reach senior positions. Industry surveys show that women are more likely than men to cite lack of recognition, limited advancement opportunities, and unequal pay as reasons for leaving the sector.
This attrition adds to the skills challenge. With fewer women remaining in mid-career tech roles, firms face a smaller and less diverse talent pool just as demand for innovation accelerates. Programs like the Women Pivoting to Digital Taskforce hope to reverse this trend by creating clearer pathways into high-growth digital roles for experienced women.
In the face of automation, many women feel the pressure of a shifting job market more intensely than their male counterparts. As research shows, female workers occupy a greater share of roles most exposed to AI disruption, such as clerical and admin jobs, meaning they’re more vulnerable to displacement without targeted support.
In a landscape where technology reshapes every industry, the report underscores that gender equity is not just a social goal but an economic necessity.
As the UK adapts to AI’s rapid rise, readers are encouraged to share their views on how industry and government can better support women through this transition and to discuss their experiences on social media with #WomenInTechJobs to continue the conversation.
