Welcome to Staying Human With AI, where I’ll explore how AI is changing work, leadership and the employee experience, and what it takes to keep people at the center of that transformation.
I want to start our conversation with an issue every leader needs to be aware of: The AI Gender Gap. While AI opportunities are growing rapidly, women are not benefiting equally.
LinkedIn research covering 15,000 companies across 27 countries found that women accounted for only 26% of U.S. AI hires in 2025, compared with 50% of hires in non-AI occupations.
The gap is even wider at the top. Globally, women hold only:
20% of “Head of AI” roles
18% of “Member of Technical Staff” roles
13% of C-suite positions at AI companies
Earlier this year, Raghu Krishnaiah, Chief Operating Officer of Phoenix Education Partners and I highlighted the AI Gender divide in an article, entitled, “3 Ways Companies Can Close the AI Gender Gap.” Research from the University of Phoenix conducted among 604 leaders and workers, found that women trailed men in AI use and confidence. While 48% of men said they needed to develop the skills to work effectively with generative AI, only 39% of women said the same.
That difference matters. Knowing how to collaborate with AI and demonstrate AI fluency is quickly now an essential workplace competency. PwC estimates that nearly 80% of companies are already using AI agents to increase productivity and efficiency.
