Nearly quarter of workforce exposed to GenAI: IPS

Tuesday, 19 August 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

An Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) report yesterday said that about 1.83 million workers in Sri Lanka, or 22.8% of the employed population, are in jobs that could be exposed to Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). This is below the global average of about 25%.

The analysis, based on International Labour Organisation (ILO) metrics mapped to Sri Lanka’s 2023 Labour Force Survey, found that clerical and support roles face the highest vulnerability. Of the 187,000 workers in occupations with the greatest exposure to GenAI, 179,290 are clerks.

“Clerical support workers stand out as particularly susceptible to potential displacement,” IPS Director of Research Dr. Nisha Arunatilake and Research Officer Himani Vithanage wrote in the report titled ‘Occupational Exposure to GenAI in Sri Lanka.’

Another 142,000 workers fall into jobs with rising exposure to GenAI, including professionals, technical staff, and clerks.

Jobs in elementary work, agriculture, forestry, and crafts remain largely insulated from AI-driven disruption. Nearly 90% of elementary workers, and virtually all agricultural and craft workers, were classified as unexposed.

The report notes that while AI can raise productivity, actual exposure is limited by digital readiness. Only 480,543 of the 1.83 million potentially exposed workers are both digitally literate and employed in workplaces with adequate digital facilities.

“Factors such as access to digital infrastructure, digital equipment, and workers’ digital skills can limit the potential use of AI in the workplace,” the authors said.

The IPS urged industries to adopt strategic measures to integrate AI in order to remain competitive. The study highlights that with AI transforming workplaces, companies that encourage adoption stand to benefit from efficiency gains even as some categories of work face disruption.