•  IPS study finds 1.83 m/22.8% in occupations that could be impacted, 187,000+ in occupations that face the highest potential impact including clerks, clerical support workers
• Exposure to increase for 142,000 including professionals, technicians, associate professionals, clerical employees

In the wake of revelations that nearly 23 per cent of Sri Lanka’s employed population could see their jobs affected by Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Labour Ministry stated the issue would be discussed with the relevant stakeholders including the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC).

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Deputy Labour Minister, Mahinda Jayasinghe said that while no specific discussions have taken place on the matter yet, it will be taken up with the relevant stakeholders, including the NLAC. "This is something that we need to pay attention to. We will engage with the relevant parties and discuss what needs to be done."

His remarks follow a recent study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) which found that about 1.83 million workers, or 22.8% of those employed in Sri Lanka, are engaged in occupations that could be impacted by Generative AI. The study warns that the rapid development of this technology has the potential to affect job security in certain sectors. The IPS report explains that Generative AI is different from earlier digital tools as it is capable of producing new content, allowing it to directly influence a range of professions rather than simply supporting routine tasks. The findings were released last year (in 2025) using data from the Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey conducted in 2023. According to the study, more than 187,000 employees are working in occupations that face the highest potential impact from Generative AI. Of this group, about 179,290 are clerks and clerical support workers, who have been identified as the most exposed to possible job disruption from the technology. In addition, around 142,000 workers, including professionals, technicians, associate professionals and clerical employees, are employed in roles where exposure to Generative AI is expected to increase. The report also notes that a large segment of the labour force is unlikely to be affected by Generative AI in the near term. About 1.83 million people in elementary occupations, 1.21 million skilled agricultural and forestry workers, and 1.10 million workers in craft and related trades have been identified as having little or no risk from this technology.