Women are being held back in the race to use artificial intelligence at work because it is seen as too “technical”, a business leader has warned.
Research from the Government’s AI Skills for Life and Work report found that only 16 per cent of women feel confident using AI in their jobs, compared with 26 per cent of men.
The figures suggest a growing confidence gap in the workplace at a time when businesses are rapidly rolling out AI tools.
It comes as the same report found six in ten people are not currently using AI at work and do not plan to, despite the technology transforming industries across the economy.
Cassie Gasson, co-CEO of AI learning management platform Thrive, said the problem is not a lack of ability but a lack of confidence and opportunity.
She said:
“Only 16 per cent of women feel confident using AI at work compared with 26 per cent of men. That’s a 10 per cent confidence gap.”
Gasson said the issue is often driven by how businesses frame AI within their organisation.
“This isn’t about ability. It’s about access and empowerment,”
“We need to stop isolating people from AI by positioning it as a ‘technical’ tool. When it’s presented that way, it can put people off before they’ve even started.”
Experts say many workers are still hesitant to experiment with AI tools for fear of getting things wrong or looking inexperienced.
Gasson believes businesses need to normalise learning and experimentation if they want employees to adopt the technology.
She said:
“AI training can’t be optional or ad hoc. It needs to be structured, visible and built into everyday work.”
She urges companies to create “safe spaces” for staff to test and learn, without worrying about making mistakes.
“We need environments where people can experiment and ask questions without fear of looking inexperienced,”
Another key step is ensuring more women are visible in leadership roles around AI adoption.
She said:
“More female leaders need to role model messy adoption. Demonstrating that it’s okay to learn as you go helps build confidence across teams.”
Gasson says firms risk falling behind if they bury their heads in the sand over AI – by either pretending it doesn’t exist, or that giving staff access will automatically lead to adoption.
She said:
“Access to AI tools isn’t the same as confidence in using them.”
“The future won’t belong to the companies that bought AI first. It will belong to the ones whose people feel confident enough to use it well.”
