Young workers, women and people with higher levels of education face greater exposure to artificial intelligence in the workplace than other demographic groups, according to a World Bank report examining the technology’s potential impact on employment across Europe and Central Asia.
About 34% of employed people with tertiary education in the region hold jobs with moderate or high exposure to AI, compared with just 7% of workers with less than secondary education, the bank said in its October 2026 Europe and Central Asia Economic Update.
Workers aged 25 to 34 have the highest exposure, at 27%, while the figure falls to 17% among those aged 55 to 64. Women also face higher exposure than men, with about 25% of employed women in the region holding jobs that could be affected by AI, compared with 21% of men.
The findings suggest that the impact of generative AI is likely to be concentrated in parts of the workforce traditionally associated with higher educational attainment and knowledge-intensive occupations, rather than being limited to lower-skilled or routine manual jobs.
The World Bank cautioned, however, that exposure does not automatically translate into job losses. It measures the extent to which tasks within an occupation could be automated or changed by AI, rather than whether an entire job will disappear.
Education and age shape exposure
The report found that workers with university-level education are considerably more exposed because their occupations tend to involve cognitive, analytical and language-based tasks that current generative AI systems can perform or assist with.
Younger workers also have higher exposure than older employees, with the 25-to-34 age group recording the highest share. This raises questions about how businesses will restructure entry-level and professional roles as AI becomes more integrated into workplace operations.
The report also noted that jobs with characteristics considered suitable for older workers, including flexible schedules, teleworking, autonomy and cognitive tasks, tend to have higher AI exposure.
This creates a potential challenge for efforts to extend working lives in ageing economies. Moving more older workers into occupations suited to their experience and working preferences could improve labour-market participation, but may also increase their exposure to AI.
Women face higher exposure than men
Women are more exposed to AI than men across the region, although the difference is smaller than the gap associated with educational attainment.
The World Bank’s estimates put women’s exposure at about 25%, against 21% for men. The report’s findings also point to differences in the types of occupations held by men and women as an important consideration when assessing the technology’s labour-market effects.
The bank said policymakers should account for these differences when designing training and employment support programmes.
In its policy recommendations, the report calls for targeted training opportunities for women and mid-career workers facing higher displacement risks. It also highlights modular training programmes and childcare support as possible ways to improve women’s access to reskilling in the South Caucasus.
Exposure does not mean job losses
The World Bank stressed that the ability of AI to perform certain tasks does not necessarily mean workers will be replaced.
AI can automate some activities while allowing employees to focus on other responsibilities, potentially changing the composition of jobs rather than eliminating them.
The report also identified a gap between occupational exposure and actual AI use at work. Limited access to computers and internet connectivity, as well as inadequate digital skills, can prevent workers from using AI even when their occupations are technically exposed.
Data from the 2022-23 Life in Transition Survey showed that only 46% of respondents in Europe and Central Asia could send an email with an attached file, compared with 80% in Germany. Just 30% said they could install new software or devices, against 62% in Germany.
The report said these gaps in basic digital capabilities could limit workers’ ability to benefit from AI and widen differences between those who can adapt to the technology and those who cannot.
It also warned that current estimates reflect the capabilities of generative AI available today. As more advanced systems capable of planning and executing multiple tasks with limited supervision develop, the range of occupations exposed to AI could change.
For governments and employers, the findings point to the need for workforce training and employment policies that prepare workers for changing job requirements rather than assuming that exposure will lead directly to unemployment.
