Women at more risk of AI disruption at work: ASU
Union is sounding the alarm that women are in occupations more exposed to the impacts of AI.
Women are at more risk of being impacted by AI at work, according to the Australian Services Union (ASU).
The union, which represents a highly feminised workforce, is concerned the impacts of AI at work are likely to be highly gendered.
“Our workforce is highly feminised and so any disruption to their work from AI is likely to have gendered impacts across society too,” said ASU national secretary, Emeline Gaske.
ASU survey data shows 43 percent of surveyed workers believe AI could make their job redundant in the next 10 years.
“We represent a diverse workforce that is skilled and willing to use new technologies at work, but they need the support to do that,” Gaske said.
The survey of workers across industries covered by the ASU compares attitudes to AI and how they’ve shifted over time since the survey was conducted during the same period last year.
The results show that while AI use at work has grown from 73 percent to 78.5 percent between 2025 and 2026, training on how to use the technology still remains low, with only 32.5 percent of workplaces offering any form of training for its use.
In addition, consultation on use of AI at the workplace also remains low at just 33.2 percent.
Since it received the survey results last year and saw the need for training, worker consultation and protections for workers, the ASU has been calling for a Digital Just Transition in response to workers’ concerns about AI.
“We’re reiterating those calls as we continue to hear from workers, just how deeply they fear for a future that is set to be upended by AI,” said Gaske.
The ASU is concerned that more demands are being placed on workers, but nowhere near enough resources are being dedicated to ensure that workers are trained and supported through its uptake.
“It’s not good enough to make outlandish claims about how this new technology will treat all diseases while failing to provide a roadmap for how that might impact workers,” she said.
“We have to do more planning with workers at the core if we expect these companies to have any form of social licence,” she added.
The ASU is also calling for the government to embed the principles of its five-point plan in its national AI plan. This includes:
- Giving all workers access to AI tools that help to reduce burdensome tasks and improve satisfaction, rather than increasing workloads or unfairly monitoring workers.
- Government and employers must team up to fund a huge, national training program that focuses on AI literacy, digital skills and career transition support.
- Keeping workers at the centre of AI implementation, with clear guardrails to ensure AI is a tool that helps rather than replaces employees, while also protecting against bias, securing data and limiting its environmental footprint.
- When AI handles routine work, human skills like judgement and teamwork must be properly recognised and rewarded, which means updating award classifications to ensure fair pay for the future.
- Workers must receive a fair share of the productivity gains from AI by giving them back time back as shorter work weeks and more time for life, family and care.
“The ASU supports new technologies if they help Australian workers and ensure that people remain in control. We won't support AI if this is no longer the case” said Gaske.