AI to Replace Women's Jobs More than Men's Jobs in African Outsourcing Sector by 2030

• More women than men in Africa's outsourcing industry to face job loss because of AI and automation by 2030
• The report was unveiled during an AI conference in Kigali, Rwanda
   

Automation and artificial intelligence may replace jobs for more women than men in Africa's outsourcing industry by 2030, a report released Thursday warns. The report, presented at an AI conference in Kigali, Rwanda, also warns that the continent's fast-expanding outsourcing industry could slow. It calls for workers to upgrade their skills to gain better employment opportunities.

Over 1,000 policymakers, business executives, and interest groups participated in the inaugural Global AI Summit for Africa in Kigali. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, in his address to the summit opening, urged more investment, innovation, and creativity. He urged African nations to "go back to the drawing board and build a good foundation for connectivity," citing the potential of AI to close inequality gaps and serve more people.

A new report by Genesis Analytics, Caribou and the Mastercard Foundation warns that women in Africa's outsourcing sector are 10 percent more likely to face automation job loss compared to men. This gap may lead to perpetuating gender-based inequalities in the labor market if left unaddressed. The same report also indicates that the lower-paid jobs—making up 68 percent of employees—are most exposed, with up to 40 percent of human work in the sector being vulnerable to automation.

AI specialists during the summit underscored that women and youth could shift to better-paying, higher-skilled jobs if they were given adequate investment and training. Jeremy Jurgen, World Economic Forum Managing Director and one of the co-hosts of the event, underscored the lack of AI professionals worldwide and the need to invest in talent building.

African leaders at the summit urged more cooperation. Nigerian Minister of Communications Bosun Tijani said, "African nations need clarity on their AI objectives and contribution. Only then can we work together on AI without sacrificing sovereignty."