AI workforce still overwhelmingly male: Women hold just 22% of jobs

Women represent around 22% of professionals working in artificial intelligence (AI) globally. Additionally, they hold less than 14% of senior management positions in this sector, reports EP. These are some of the conclusions of the Gender Report 2026, presented by UN Women at the United Nations General Assembly (UN).

Furthermore, the report shows that women are approximately 20% less likely than men to use generative artificial intelligence tools. According to Sarah Hendriks, Director of Policy, Programs, and Intergovernmental Support at UN Women, the future of AI "cannot be built with half of the world's talent."

"As artificial intelligence transforms economies, societies, and everyday life, the equitable participation of women is crucial for its design, governance, and regulation. If women are excluded, today's inequalities risk becoming entrenched in the systems of tomorrow," she emphasized.

According to the organization, AI also poses risks for women and girls in other areas. In this way, it is increasing "the scale, speed, and severity" of technology-facilitated violence against women and girls. Simultaneously, it is reinforcing gender stereotypes and structural discrimination, especially for women in public life.

In this regard, it points to another UN Women study also published this year that revealed "nearly one in four incidents" of online violence against human rights defenders, activists, and journalists involved the use of AI.

Additionally, UN Women has pointed out that women are also more exposed to the potential disruption that generative AI poses in the workplace. "According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), predominantly female occupations are nearly twice as likely to be exposed to generative AI as those predominantly male," it warned.

For all these reasons, UN Women has urged governments, development partners, and tech companies at the UN High-Level Week in New York (USA) to "strengthen safeguards and regulation of AI, ensure the equitable participation of women in AI development and decision-making, and address the risks these technologies pose to women and girls."