About ILO
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that social justice is essential to universal and lasting peace.Only tripartite U.N. agency, the ILO brings together governments, employers and workers representatives of 187 member States, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.
Activities by ILO
AI and jobs. A review of theory, estimates, and evidence
Global Not ApplicableGenerative AI is altering work processes, task composition, and organizational design, yet its effects on employment and the macroeconomy remain unresolved. In this review, we synthesize theory and empirical evidence at three levels. First, we trace the evolution from aggregate production frameworks to task- and expertise-based models. Second, we quantitatively review and compare (ex-ante) AI exposure measures of occupations from multiple studies and find convergence towards high-wage jobs. Third, we assemble ex-post evidence of AI's impact on employment from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), field experiments, and digital trace data (e.g., online labor platforms, software repositories), complemented by partial coverage of surveys. Across the reviewed studies, productivity gains are sizable but context-dependent: on the order of 20 to 60 percent in controlled RCTs, and 15 to 30 percent in field experiments. Novice workers tend to benefit more from LLMs in simple tasks. Across complex tasks, evidence is mixed on whether low or high-skilled workers benefit more. Digital trace data show substitution between humans and machines in writing and translation alongside rising demand for AI, with mild evidence of declining demand for novice workers. A more substantial decrease in demand for novice jobs across AI complementary work emerges from recent studies using surveys, platform payment records, or administrative data. Research gaps include the focus on simple tasks in experiments, the limited diversity of LLMs studied, and technology-centric AI exposure measures that overlook adoption dynamics and whether exposure translates into substitution, productivity gains, erode or increase expertise.
Activity Type Research/Reports/AssessmentsLabour market intelligence: AI-generated analytical drafts for LMIS
GlobalThis pilot uses large language models to pull SDMX-standard data from LMIS APIs, auto-draft quarterly and annual labour market briefs and analytical reports, produce interactive visualisations and assemble dynamic dashboards. A chat interface allows analysts to refine the content in real time.
Activity Type Technical assistanceAI Tools/SolutionsDigital Work in Eastern Europe: Overview of Trends, Outcomes, and Policy Responses
Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States Eastern EuropeThis paper presents the emergence and growth of digital labour markets in Eastern Europe over the period 1999-2019. It profiles digital workers, their working conditions, and discusses how these are shaped by the business models of digital labour platforms.
Activity Type Research/Reports/AssessmentsPolicy/Regulatory GuidanceHow Do You Lip Read a Robot? – Recruitment AI has a Disability Problem
Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States ChinaUnited StatesAn information-sharing webinar that discussed the risks associated with using AI-powered recruitment software. It highlighted emerging evidence that such software can lead to the exclusion of candidates with different types of disabilities.
Activity Type Awareness/Advocacy