New research: Women use AI less often at work and get less credit

AI is changing what it means to get ahead at work—and it’s not changing things equally. New research from Lean In finds that women are less likely than men to have ever used AI on the job—and less likely to have made it a daily habit. Women also face structural headwinds around AI use: they get less recognition for using AI, less manager support, and are more likely to fear it will cost them their jobs. Falling behind on AI could affect women’s entire career trajectories—and small gaps in usage today could become large gaps in opportunity tomorrow.
Key findings

• Women are less likely to be heavy AI users at work
  
  • Men are 22% more likely to use AI daily or constantly at their jobs (33% of men vs. 27% of women)
  • They are also 7% more likely than women to have ever used AI at work (78% of men vs. 73% of women)
• Women generally feel less positive—and more cautious—about AI
  
  • Men are 13% more likely to feel positive (45% of men vs. 40% of women) and 30% more likely to feel energized about AI (26% of men vs. 20% of women)
  • Women, meanwhile, are 20% more likely to feel threatened (25% of women vs. 20% of men) and 32% more likely to worry they’ll be perceived as cheating when they use AI (29% vs. 22% of men)
  • Women are also almost twice as likely as men to predict that more women will be laid off than men due to AI (19% vs. 8%)
• Women are more likely to approach AI with caution at work
  
  • Women are 29% more likely to question whether AI is accurate (22% of women vs. 17% of men)
  • Women are 38% more likely than men to have ethical reservations about AI (22% of women vs. 16% of men)—a sign of thoughtfulness that may nonetheless slow adoption
• Women receive less recognition for AI use at work
  
  • Among those who have used AI on the job, men are 27% more likely to have been praised for doing so (23% of men vs. 18% of women)
• And women are 23% less likely to receive manager support to use AI
  
  • Men are 23% more likely than women to be encouraged by their managers to use AI (37% of men vs. 30% of women)—a gap that can compound over time into lost skills and lost opportunities