The AI industry is booming. Women are getting left behind
3 hours ago
- Women in tech face the 'permanent underclass' currently, not just in the future, due to AI job disparities.
- Women hold only 25% of new AI roles and 13% of executive AI positions, while being overrepresented in high-disruption, lower-paying jobs.
- AI jobs pay double on average, but women have a $45,000 median pay gap compared to men, partly due to concentration in data annotation roles.
- The fast-paced AI industry favors male-dominated networks and referrals, with women often isolated as the only female engineer and lacking mentorship.
- Maternity leave and long-hour cultures push women out; structural support like equitable childcare is critical to retention.
- DEI programs are being scaled back due to political pressure, risking a participation gap that becomes a power gap in the AI economy.