The AI Skills Training Gender Paradox

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries and labor market expectations, employer demand for AI skills has soared in ways that promise to penalize those who do not possess them heavily. Recent data suggests that 71% of hiring executives would now favor candidates with AI skills over those without, even if the latter possessed more traditional experience. There is, increasingly, no escaping the need for AI literacy.

Despite this growing demand, inequities are becoming visible. Women are not upskilling in AI at the same rate as men, even though they stand to be disproportionately affected by the technology. Research from the McKinsey Global Institute finds that the bulk of AI-induced job losses will affect women without college degrees because those women disproportionately populate the entry-level jobs likely to be most affected by automation.

There is therefore an urgent gendered dimension to the rush towards global AI literacy. Existing gender divides in AI skills will, if ignored and not remediated, have significant economic and social consequences. The underrepresentation of women in AI not only perpetuates existing inequalities in the technology sector but also risks skewing the development and application of AI in ways that fail to consider diverse perspectives. Addressing this skills gap is not just about fairness; it’s crucial for ensuring the responsible and inclusive evolution of AI.

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AI Skills Gap Matters for Gender Equality

The last year has seen a rapid global rush towards AI literacy, with U.K. learners on the Coursera platform having recorded a 961% year-on-year increase in enrolments in generative AI courses. However, the AI skills gap is significant, with millennial males leading the way in AI learning. Coursera's current enrolment trends indicate that 72% of participants in generative AI courses globally and in the U.K. are male. This imbalance is particularly pronounced among those aged 28-43, a demographic who will increasingly shape tomorrow’s workforce. If women don’t have the right skills, they will likely find it more challenging to obtain the ever-increasing number of roles in fields driving change and innovation.

For example, a 2024 UNESCO study shows that Large Language Models (LLMs) frequently reflect and perpetuate gender biases, describing women in domestic roles far more often than men (up to four times as frequently) and associating them with words like "home," "family," and "children," while male names are linked to terms like "business," "executive," and "career." Without equal representation in AI and ML, these biases will persist, leading to tech solutions that not only overlook gender-specific challenges but potentially worsen them. Here are three ways in which we can ensure that the AI revolution is an equitable one:

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Rebalancing Industry Through Collaboration

Bridging the AI gender divide requires a collaborative approach. Both the public and private sectors have vital roles to play in reconfiguring AI skills development in ways that nurture greater gender inclusivity.

In the U.K., schemes like the AI Upskilling fund are a promising start on the government side. This initiative will support small and medium-sized enterprises by match-funding AI skills training for their employees. While this might go some way in helping businesses access funds to promote skilling drives, the onus is on businesses to provide equal access to AI upskilling opportunities. Companies must critically evaluate their training programs to ensure they are accessible to women and tailored to their specific needs, including offering flexible learning options that accommodate various life stages and responsibilities.

Creating an Open Culture for Women in AI

Beyond structural changes, fostering an open and supportive culture within the AI field is crucial. Encouraging women to pursue and advance in AI requires more than just access to training; it demands a cultural shift that values and promotes diversity at all levels. Organizations should actively work to create environments where women feel welcome and valued, and where their contributions are recognized and rewarded.

Create Learning Opportunities Tailored to Women

Coursera research into best practices towards a more equitable educational sector suggests that there are evidence-based ways in which learning can be tailored towards female learners. Access to flexible, accessible learning opportunities is essential to ensuring that women can continue to upskill around their myriad professional and personal obligations.

We are seeing online learning help to offer this type of solution. A recent report compiled by the World Economic Forum, to which Coursera contributed data, shows that 60% of women caregivers would postpone studying or not study at all if online learning were not an option, suggesting that remote learning opportunities are especially valuable to this cohort of female learners. By investing in learning pathways tailored to the needs and preferences of women, we can ensure that the AI revolution is an equitable, empowering and positively transformative one.