New research from the professional networking site LinkedIn shows that women are underrepresented in the growing field of artificial intelligence (AI) hiring. According to the data, women account for 26% of new hires in U.S. roles requiring AI skills, compared to 50% of hires for non-AI positions. This disparity occurs as companies increase investment in AI technology, leading to a doubling of AI-related job postings on the platform since 2023.
The study highlights a significant difference in compensation between AI and non-AI roles. LinkedIn reported that the typical AI job listing advertises a salary of approximately $177,000, while non-AI roles average roughly $80,000. Sarah Steinberg, a spokeswoman for LinkedIn, stated that the tech industry's gender gap is more pronounced in AI, which she said is compounding existing barriers for women in the workforce.
The research also tracked the career progression of women in AI across 27 countries. It found that women hold 13% of leadership roles at AI firms, which is lower than the 20% of leadership roles women hold in the broader technology industry. Additionally, data from the Brookings Institution indicated that 86% of the 6.1 million workers in clerical and administrative roles—positions identified as vulnerable to AI disruption—are women.
A person working in a role requiring AI skills would notice a substantially higher paycheck and involvement in the development of new technologies, while those in administrative roles may face job changes or disruption. The Brookings Institution data suggests that millions of workers, primarily women, may need to adapt their skills as AI tools are integrated into clerical tasks. LinkedIn's Sarah Steinberg noted that women are currently less likely to benefit from the AI pay premium or move into new jobs created by the technology compared to their male counterparts.
The trend may influence how companies approach recruitment and how educational institutions prepare students for the workforce. LinkedIn suggests that a shift toward skills-based hiring, which focuses on specific abilities rather than degrees or past job titles, could increase the number of women in the AI pipeline. Because AI skills can be acquired through online courses and training, this shift would change how candidates are evaluated by hiring managers. The report did not provide a specific deadline for these changes but noted that AI job postings have already doubled since 2023.