Women Perceive AI as Riskier Than Men

Women perceive artificial intelligence (AI) as riskier than men do, according to a study. Beatrice Magistro and colleagues hypothesized that women are both more exposed to risk from AI and are more averse to risk in general than men. To test their hypothesis, the authors surveyed approximately 3,000 respondents in the United States and Canada in November 2023, using survey provider YouGov's opt-in panel. Respondents were asked about the extent to which they agree that the risks of generative AI outweigh the benefits. Risk orientation was estimated by analyzing responses to lottery questions, such as whether the respondent would prefer a guaranteed win of $1,000, or a 50% probability of winning $2,000. The authors used post-secondary education as a proxy for risk exposure to AI, assuming that those with more education will be better positioned to adapt to artificial intelligence. To supplement this proxy, the authors also looked at which jobs held by recipients are thought to be most exposed to AI. When asked the extent to which they agree that the risks of AI outweigh the benefits on a scale of 1 to 10, men's responses averaged 4.38, while women's responses averaged 4.87, 11% higher. Given a scenario in which AI adoption at a company was guaranteed to benefit employees, however, women supported AI use nearly as strongly as men. Women were significantly more risk averse in general than men, as evidenced by their responses to the lottery questions. Women were also more personally exposed to the risk of AI than men. When asked open-ended questions about the benefits of AI, women were more likely than men to express both uncertainty and skepticism — more frequently saying they didn't know or that they saw little to no benefit. According to the authors, the findings highlight the importance of addressing gender-specific concerns in AI policies, lest AI worsen gender inequalities or lead to political backlash against the technology.