Almost a quarter of the jobs held by workers aged 55 and over in the UK could be displaced by automation technology over the next decade, new research has found.
That is higher than for any other age group, with around one-fifth of the population as a whole at risk of losing their jobs to artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics during that time.
The technology is expected to carry out tasks like administrative support and simple decision-making at first, leaving older women particularly at risk to automation.
However, it is estimated that technological advancements in physical labour and problem solving could see around one-third of the jobs held by over-55s displaced by 2030.
"The ability to adapt to new technologies is crucial for people looking for employment in later life," said John Hawksworth, chief economist at PwC, which carried out the research.
"However, our estimates suggest older workers could face a higher risk of job automation. Measures to support lifetime learning and retraining for older workers will be critical."
The research forms part of PwC's latest Golden Age Index, which rates countries around the world for their employment, earnings and training of older workers.
Iceland comes out on top, followed by New Zealand and Israel, while Turkey, Luxembourg and Slovenia are the worst performers out of the 35 countries studied.
The UK is ranked 21st, with PwC estimating the country could boost GDP by £180bn a year by matching New Zealand's employment rates for over-55s, while the OECD could see a £2.6trn increase.
It was also found that there are considerable disparities in the employment of older workers across the UK, with the most economically prosperous regions generally hiring more 50-64-year-olds.
"There are clear economic gains to be made from getting more over-55s into the workforce," Hawksworth continued.
"And with automation advancing, it is more important than ever that we ensure older workers are able to participate fully in the UK jobs market."
