Just to slice and dice the AI craze a little further, a new survey from remote and hybrid career service firm FlexJobs took the pulse of how men and women compare in their usage, curiosity and concerns surrounding recent advancements in AI, revealing that more than half of men (54 percent) are using AI in either or both their personal and professional lives, while roughly one-third of women (35 percent) are currently using AI.
The survey polled over 5,600 U.S.-based men and women about their experiences with AI, particularly generative AI tools like ChatGPT, to better understand their perspectives on how AI is impacting their careers and the larger work landscape.
General AI use
Across the board, men are using AI at higher rates. The 35 percent of women using AI and the 54 percent of men using AI breaks down in the following ways:
Do you use ChatGPT or other forms of AI?
- Yes, in my personal life: 15 percent Women / 21 percent Men
- Yes, both at work and in my personal life: 11 percent Women / 12 percent Men
- Yes, for work-related tasks with my manager’s permission: 5 percent Women / 11 percent Men
- Yes, for work-related tasks, but my manager does not know: 4 percent Women / 10 percent Men
AI use on job applications
Men are using AI tools like ChatGPT on their job application materials, including resume and cover letter writing, more than women are using AI tools: 60 percent of men say they either already have or are considering using AI for job applications, but only 46 percent of women say the same. Specifically:
- 21 percent men have already used AI tools on their job applications, while 15 percent of women already have
- 39 percent of men said they’re considering using AI in this manner while only 31 percent of women are considering it
“When used effectively, AI can be a powerful tool to streamline and support your job search,” said Keith Spencer, career expert at FlexJobs, in a news release. “But it’s imperative today’s workers realize that even with the latest advancements, AI programs like ChatGPT should serve as an aid rather than a replacement in communicating a candidate’s experience.”
AI impact on job security
When asked about AI’s impact on their careers and the future of work, 38 percent of men said AI is currently threatening their job security (11 percent) or think it may threaten their job security (27 percent) in the future; 27 percent of women said the same, with 7 percent saying advances in AI are currently threatening their job security and 20% saying it may threaten their job security.
Despite these concerns, 35 percent of men believe AI technology will positively impact the workplace, compared to 25 percent of women. More women (44 percent) than men (28 percent) are unsure of how AI technology will impact the workplace.
Do you think AI technology will have a positive or negative impact on the workplace?
- I’m not sure: 44 percent Women / 28 percent Men
- AI technology will negatively impact the workplace: 26 percent Women / 29 percent Men
- AI technology will positively impact the workplace: 25 percent Women / 35 percent Men
- It will not impact the workplace: 5 percent Women / 8 percent Men
Read more about the research here.
The survey ran from May 3 to May 21, 2023. Demographic breakdown of the 5,641 respondents:
- Gender: women (69 percent), men (28 percent) prefer not to identify/self-describe (3 percent);
- Generation: Gen Z (10 percent), millennial/Gen Y (34 percent), Gen X (34 percent), baby boomer (20 percent), silent generation (2 percent);
- Education: less than a high school degree (less than 2 percent), high school degree or equivalent (8 percent), some college but no degree (19 percent), associate’s degree (12 percent), bachelor’s degree (36 percent), graduate degree (24 percent);
- Career level: entry-level (11 percent), experienced (48 percent), manager (24 percent), director (11 percent), executive/C-suite (6 percent)
- Forty-one percent had children 18 or younger living at home with them.
