In Silicon Valley, a prevalent concern among professionals is the challenge of securing lucrative positions in artificial intelligence (AI) while avoiding the risk of becoming part of a “permanent underclass,” a term that reflects the plight of those unable to advance in an AI-driven world.
This phrase often pertains to a future where AI takes over human job functions, but for women in technology, it is increasingly becoming a current reality.
Urvashi Batra, co-founder and CEO of Prioriwise, an AI platform tailored for IT service providers, argues that the narrative surrounding AI as a tool for leveling the playing field for women is misleading. She believes the opposite is true, noting that she often faces skepticism as a female founder compared to her male counterpart. In their experiences pitching to investors, Batra and her co-founder have discovered that they are more likely to secure funding when he takes the lead in presentations.
According to a recent LinkedIn report, women constituted only about 25% of new hires in AI positions over the past year, while they represented 50% of hires in non-AI roles. This disparity is even more pronounced in executive positions, where female representation plummets to just 13%. Furthermore, the research indicates that women are more frequently employed in roles vulnerable to AI disruption, such as customer service, thereby increasing their risk of job loss.
AI job listings have surged, doubling since 2023, and these positions typically offer significantly higher salaries—more than double those in non-AI roles. However, women in AI tend to be overrepresented in lower-paying positions, such as data annotators. Sarah Steinberg, LinkedIn’s head of global public policy partnerships, highlights that men in AI earn a median salary that is $45,000 higher than their female counterparts, largely due to the types of roles they occupy.
Steinberg emphasizes that AI is generating some of the most rapidly expanding and highest-paying jobs in the economy, yet women remain vastly underrepresented in this sector.
This ongoing trend raises concerns about a potential widening of the gender pay gap, which could have generational implications, and risks excluding women from contributing to technology that shapes the economy, according to advocates for women in tech.
Brenda Darden Wilkerson, president of AnitaB.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing women in technology, describes the current situation as a regression.
Efforts to encourage women’s participation in the tech industry have been in place for years, yielding mixed outcomes. Women now occupy approximately one-third of tech positions in the United States. However, research shows that they exit the tech sector at a significantly higher rate than men, often due to non-inclusive environments and obstacles to career advancement.
Challenges may be even more pronounced for women in AI. Jayeeta Putatunda, an AI engineering lead at Turing, points out that the rapid pace of AI development creates immense pressure to stay current. She has observed many talented women stumble in their careers due to the demanding nature of the field.
Putatunda notes that it is common to be the only female engineer in a team, which necessitates greater effort to have one’s voice heard. Additionally, finding mentorship from other women in AI can be difficult. The relentless speed of advancements in AI means that professionals in this area often need to work long hours to keep pace.
“For those with ambitious career aspirations, extended work hours can become the norm,” she explains, acknowledging that a culture of 12-hour workdays is not unusual. “There’s often no easy workaround; putting in the time is essential.”
Such expectations can create barriers that push individuals out of the industry. Putatunda shares her experience returning from four months of maternity leave, only to find herself overwhelmed by the rapid changes in technology. Successfully catching up was only possible with the support of understanding colleagues and a partner who shared childcare responsibilities.
Given the nascent and rapidly evolving nature of the AI industry, one might expect it to be more merit-based. With no one holding years of experience with models developed recently, the playing field should theoretically be even. However, some women in AI observe that hiring practices still rely heavily on personal networks and traditional referral systems.
Past attempts to tackle these issues in the tech industry have largely focused on enhancing mentorship opportunities and establishing diversity initiatives aimed at improving representation. However, in recent years, many companies have drastically reduced their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in response to a political climate that has become increasingly hostile to such efforts. This shift has resulted in a decline in institutional support for hiring and promoting women.
The current political landscape complicates efforts to encourage AI firms to embrace initiatives that support women, according to Felicia Newhouse, founder of AI Powered Women, which advocates for female participation and leadership in AI. Newhouse, who has spent two decades in technology marketing, highlights the scrutiny faced by corporations with DEI programs, as the Department of Justice alleges these initiatives may violate anti-discrimination laws. Major companies, including Accenture, Deloitte, IBM, and PayPal, have faced multimillion-dollar settlements due to these legal challenges.
