A new study led by Sophie Borwein, assistant professor of political science at the University of British Columbia in Canada, and Beatrice Magistro, assistant professor of AI governance at Northeastern University in Boston, has investigated why women tend to be more skeptical of artificial intelligence than men. They found that women are more likely to doubt the technology’s economic benefits.
In a survey of some 3,000 Canadians and Americans, the authors found women participants were more likely to be generally “risk-averse” than men, and 11 percent more likely to say AI’s risks outweigh its benefits. Women were particularly more likely to question that AI would deliver meaningful economic gains.
However, when the authors presented participants with information that AI-driven job gains were guaranteed, the gender gap in skepticism disappeared, with both men and women responding similarly. On the other hand, when employment outcomes were uncertain, women became significantly more skeptical.
“Importantly, our research suggests that the adoption of AI could exacerbate existing gender inequalities if women remain more skeptical and less supportive than men,” the authors write. “These emerging patterns of differential adoption of AI technologies may create new forms of occupational segregation that will persist regardless of whether AI ultimately delivers its promised benefits or creates unforeseen consequences.”
Based on their findings, the authors call for policymakers to develop targeted education and training programs to increase women’s participation in AI-related fields and promote gender diversity in technology leadership.
Dr. Borwein and Dr. Magistro had support from co-authors at the California Institute of Technology, New York University, and Cornell University.