Women Lead on AI Governance, But Get Penalized for Using It
Two major surveys released this spring tell different, but complementary, stories about women and AI.
Lean In found women are 22% less likely to be regular AI users at work, receive less manager encouragement, and are 27% less likely to be praised for using the technology. Separate experimental research showed women are penalized 26% more than men for identical AI-assisted work, suggesting hesitation isn't reluctance, it's rational self-preservation.
A Chief/Harris Poll survey of 1,768 leaders flips the focus. Among senior women, 80% are playing active strategic roles in AI, building governance frameworks, orchestrating human-AI workflows, or leading product development. The top role at 31% is regulator, focused on ethics and responsible implementation. And 78% have already set personal criteria for what stays human versus what gets handed to AI.
The Chief data also carries a warning. 87% of women leaders have seen negative consequences when organizations chase AI speed without investing in people—teams that execute but can't think strategically, declining work quality despite productivity gains, and eroding institutional knowledge. Meanwhile, 69% say their companies have already cut entry-level hiring because of AI capabilities.
For financial services leaders managing AI rollouts, these surveys together surface a structural disconnect: the people doing the most to govern AI responsibly are the same ones getting the least credit for engaging with it.
Full story: Forbes - Lean In - Chief
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