A new survey reveals a troubling pattern: women are falling behind in gaining professional credit for their use of artificial intelligence, even as AI skills become central to workplace advancement.
The research from Lean In, conducted in early March among 1,000 U.S. adults, found that 78% of men reported using AI for work compared with 73% of women. But the recognition gap proved more significant than the usage gap.
Among those actually using AI tools, only 18% of women said they received praise for it, while 27% of men reported the same acknowledgment. Managers showed similar patterns: 37% of men said they were encouraged to use AI by supervisors, versus 30% of women.
Lean In founder Sheryl Sandberg warned that these seemingly modest disparities could compound into major career consequences. Since employers increasingly value AI proficiency as a top skill, the recognition gap threatens to widen existing inequities in pay and promotion.
"These small gaps will become really big over time if we don't call attention to them right now," Sandberg told Axios.
The findings align with earlier research showing that women software engineers who use AI face skepticism about their competence compared to male colleagues. The pattern also reflects broader workplace dynamics in which women receive less mentorship and positive feedback overall.
Sandberg pointed to long-documented biases that favor men in professional settings: men tend to earn praise for demonstrating effort and initiative, while women face criticism for the same actions. When applied to emerging technology, this dynamic gives men a compounding advantage. Positive recognition for experimenting with new tools strengthens their reputations, boosts performance evaluations, and opens doors to advancement opportunities women are less likely to access.
The challenge echoes familiar workplace struggles, but the stakes feel immediate. As organizations scramble to build AI-ready workforces, the teams doing so will shape leadership pipelines for years to come. Women locked out of recognition for their contributions risk being sidelined precisely when these skills matter most.
Sandberg's response draws from her well-known playbook: women must advocate aggressively for themselves and their work, particularly as AI becomes central to how companies measure professional value and potential.
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