AI could eliminate up to 5% of jobs in Latin America, study finds

By Juana Casas

SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Between 2% and 5% of jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean are threatened by artificial intelligence (AI) and at risk of being fully automated, a report by the International Labor Organization and the World Bank said on Wednesday.

According to the study, women and younger workers in formal sectors face greater risks of their tasks being done by generative artificial intelligence, a potential burden on workers in what is already one of the world’s most unequal regions due to low-paid jobs in the widespread informal economy.

However, “gaps in digital infrastructure and other inequalities could hinder the potential impacts of generative AI in the region,” said the report.

Overall, between 26% and 38% of jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean could be exposed to generative AI and impacted by it in some way, according to the data.

On the other hand, the research stated that there are also benefits that could be brought by AI, as it could improve the productivity of between 8% and 14% of jobs, particularly in the urban, education and formal sectors, and among higher-income earners.

(Reporting by Juana Casas; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Sandra Maler)