Women are less likely to use AI at work — and even when they do, they get less recognition for the effort, finds a new survey from Lean In, the women's advocacy group.
Why it matters: Right now, AI ability is the skill many employers say they value most.
- Down the line, this recognition gap could exacerbate existing gender pay and promotion inequalities, Lean In founder Sheryl Sandberg tells Axios.
Zoom in: 78% of men said they have used AI for work, compared with 73% of women, per a survey the group conducted in early March among 1,000 U.S. adults age 18 and over.
- Among those using AI, 18% of women said they've been praised for doing so, compared with 27% of men.
- And 30% of women said they'd been encouraged to use AI by their manager, compared with 37% of men.
Between the lines: This is just one small survey, but it does follow similar research from 2025 that found that women software engineers who use AI are viewed as less competent than men.
- It also fits a broader body of research on women receiving less mentorship and positive feedback at work.
Zoom out: It's the same biases seen in the workplace for years, playing out in a new arena, Sandberg says, pointing to other research that finds men are more likely to be praised for effort. Women are more apt to be criticized.
- That edge men have in getting recognition for experimenting with new AI tools can enhance their reputation, performance evaluations, and opportunities for advancement, the report says.
- "These small gaps will become really big over time if we don't call attention to them right now," Sandberg tells Axios.
The bottom line: Sandberg's advice is familiar: Lean in. This time, on AI.
