Men (85 per cent) are more likely than women (72 per cent) to express confidence in using artificial intelligence tools at work, according to a survey by Robert Half Canada.
The survey, which polled more than 1,400 Canadian employees, found just 19 per cent of women reported career benefits from the technology, compared to 32 per cent of men.
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The survey also found differences in employer support for learning AI tools. Forty-one per cent of men said their employer provides access to online learning resources compared to 29 per cent of women, while 38 per cent report formal training on AI tools compared to 29 per cent of women. Two- fifths (41 per cent) of women said they plan to upskill their AI abilities in 2026 compared to 54 per cent of men.
A third (33 per cent) of men said their employer provides clear guidelines on appropriate AI use compared to 26 per cent of women, while 28 per cent of men said they’re given time during work hours to learn and experiment with AI tools compared to 21 per cent of women.
Women are also more likely to say AI hasn’t been implemented in a way that affects their role, with 26 per cent reporting their organization hasn’t introduced AI tools impacting their department or job compared to 14 per cent of men.
Mentorship and informal knowledge-sharing opportunities are also less common. Twenty-one per cent of men said they receive mentorship from experienced AI users compared to 14 per cent of women, while 18 per cent of men said their workplace offers lunch-and-learn sessions compared to 15 per cent of women.
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