AI is opening new career opportunities for women while simultaneously putting their jobs at risk. As companies embrace automation and generative AI, women are advancing in tech — but they also face a higher risk of displacement, exposing a growing divide in the workforce.
Reports from Ensono and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) underscore AI’s contradictory impact on women’s careers. Ensono finds that women in tech are using AI to advance, while LSE reveals that the technology is displacing female workers. This raises questions about whether AI is widening workforce inequalities.
Generative AI skills boost women’s careers, but not job security
Generative AI is proving to be a career accelerator for women in tech, with 89% of respondents in Ensono’s survey saying their AI skills have helped them climb the ladder. The number of women who consider themselves experts in the field has doubled in a year, showing a rapid shift toward AI proficiency.
Despite these gains, LSE warns that artificial intelligence is eliminating jobs at a faster rate for women than men, particularly in roles involving administrative tasks, customer service, and clerical work. In the U.S., 79% of employed women hold jobs classified as high-risk for automation, compared to just 58% of men, LSE reports.
The stark paradox forces us to question: does AI truly empower women or simply reshuffles who gets left behind?
Learning AI is not enough… for women
Women continue building AI skills yet remain disadvantaged. The World Economic Forum data reveals that women hold just 22% of AI positions and 28% of the global STEM workforce, limiting their access to the most in-demand AI careers. Those without STEM expertise risk being excluded from the highest-paying and most influential roles.
Even when mastering technical abilities, deeply embedded industry barriers prevent women from securing roles that shape automation’s direction. As traditional jobs disappear, women without STEM credentials face devastating economic displacement despite their efforts to adapt.
The AI gender gap affects everyone
If AI is introducing opportunities but not job security, the problem isn’t just for women, it’s for the entire workforce. When job growth is uneven, it widens economic inequality and creates an unstable labor market that impacts everyone. Companies must invest in equitable hiring, policymakers need to expand STEM access, and AI organizations must ensure that careers in their industry are open to a broader talent pool, not just a select few.