Artificial Intelligence Creates New Power. Women Must Claim It.

It is not technology that replaces people. It is people who master technology who displace others. That may sound harsh. But it is the reality of the labour market once AI becomes routine. Those who use AI have better opportunities for career advancement and higher earnings. And this is precisely where a new gender gap is emerging: the Gender AI Gap. A recent study by the Institute for Employment Research, IAB, and Initiative D21 shows that women use AI significantly less frequently and less intensively than men.

Content

Artificial intelligence is changing the rules of the game. It is one of the key technologies of our time and plays a decisive role in shaping how we live, work and learn. AI itself does not necessarily replace jobs. Rather, people who master it displace those who lack the relevant skills. Those who use AI increase their efficiency, expand their scope for action and improve their prospects when applying for jobs, seeking promotion and negotiating their income. This dynamic inevitably raises a central question of equality: Will women participate on equal terms, or will they be placed at a structural disadvantage? The Gender AI Gap, a newly developed indicator, highlights gender-specific differences in the use of AI.

A recent study conducted by the Institute for Employment Research in cooperation with Initiative D21 systematically examined whether and why new inequalities are emerging in this area, and how they can be prevented.

What the data shows
The study shows that there is a measurable Gender AI Gap, with a difference of around 16 percentage points in the initial analysis. This means that women use artificial intelligence in a professional context less frequently and less intensively than men. The gap narrows when differences in age, education, income, professional context, skills and attitudes are taken into account statistically. However, a difference of eight percentage points still remains.

The potential consequences should not be underestimated. In light of the figures, the authors of the study warn that the use of AI “is increasingly determining competitiveness, employment opportunities and social participation, comparable to literacy or internet access during earlier periods of transformation.”

The Gender AI Gap is therefore far more than a simple difference in technology use. Those who use AI less frequently develop fewer practical skills. Those who do not build expertise do not have a seat at the table when decisions about implementing AI are made. And those who do not have a seat at the table cannot help shape how the technology is designed. “If women are absent from these processes, their perspectives and workplace realities are consequently incorporated less strongly into AI-supported structures,” the study states. The consequences are that inequalities in career opportunities and income development may become even more pronounced.

Informal networks as a barrier to entry
The problem is exacerbated above all by unequal access to artificial intelligence. AI still enters our daily lives and workplaces too rarely through formal training. Instead, adoption is largely driven by simple experimentation and informal networks. What matters is a tip from colleagues, a tech-savvy circle of friends or a community in which using AI is already considered normal. Those who are part of the relevant networks start earlier and build practical knowledge. And these informal networks are often dominated by men.

The good news is that these barriers can be overcome. The study identifies three concrete levers that can genuinely reduce the Gender AI Gap. They all have one thing in common: they create structured pathways that make access to AI independent of informal networks and ensure that it becomes accessible to everyone.

Three levers for equal access to artificial intelligence

1. The value proposition
   The study concludes that the strongest motivation is not the fear of losing one’s job. Instead, we are driven by a concrete expectation: “AI could take over monotonous tasks for me.” The effect is the same for women and men, at an increase of 30 percentage points.
2. Implementation within companies
   When companies do not leave AI adoption to chance but actively implement it, the Gender AI Gap disappears. This requires clear guidelines, training during working hours and specific use cases.
3. Structured professional development
   Women, in particular, benefit disproportionately from employer-funded training programmes. Where such programmes are available, the gap in intensive AI use shrinks to just one percentage point.

Here is how you can get started:
Anyone who wants to stay ahead of the curve should not wait for their company to create the necessary structures. Women who acquire the relevant knowledge independently benefit enormously. Those who start building their skills now gain a head start. The study also shows that the Gender AI Gap is not an unavoidable fact of life. Rather, it is the result of structural decisions.

This is precisely where our new Masterclass comes in. We show you how to apply AI in practice and use it as a tool in your daily work. Specifically, the Masterclass will focus on AI agents: systems that work independently on your behalf while you concentrate on what matters most.

In a 1.5-hour live session, you will learn how an AI agent works and which use cases are suitable for you. You will see a live demonstration of how such an AI agent is built. With access to the recording, you can then put what you have learned into practice at your own pace. Plus, you will receive a certificate that you can present to your employer.

Do not wait until you are left behind! Go here for course details ( The course will be in German)

 

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