Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Skims becomes the official underwear of the NBA and WNBA, moms in the U.K. are struggling to receive equal promotion opportunities at law firms, and there’s a growing gender gap in AI adoption. Have a lovely Tuesday.
– AI for all? Executives across industries are on board with the potential of generative AI, talking it up in earnings calls and to their customers. But what about rank-and-file employees?
According to a new report from Charter, a workplace research organization, there’s an emerging gender gap in employee enthusiasm toward AI. In an August survey of about 1,100 U.S. workers (both salaried and hourly), 35% of women respondents said they use generative AI tools like ChatGPT in their jobs, compared to 48% of men.
Charter’s head of research Emily Goligoski speculates that this may be because women, many of whom are caregivers, have less time to play around with new technologies. But in addition to current adoption rates, women are also less excited about the future of AI.
Forty-six percent of women agreed with the statement, “I am excited about the prospect of using generative AI as part of my day-to day-work,” while 66% of men did. When asked about AI, male respondents displayed more optimism while women were more uncertain—which may be because their jobs are more likely to be eliminated or negatively impacted by AI, Charter said in its report. Women have been in this position before, the report stated; take for example hotel cleaning staff who were forced to order room cleanings based on a faulty algorithm or telephone operators whose jobs were made obsolete by technology.
While women have plenty of good reasons to be skeptical, Goligoski says she worries that slower AI adoption could imperil women’s earning potential. Combined with analysis of AI adoption by race and age, “gendered ageism” becomes a major concern, she adds.
It’s up to employers to show concerned workers that AI will make their jobs easier—not necessarily threaten their livelihoods. “What positive examples can they show of workplace or workflow challenges that could be actually really positively augmented with AI?” Goligoski asks.
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
@_emmahinchliffe
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ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
- Under the jersey. Kim Kardashian’s Skims apparel brand will become the official underwear partner of the NBA, WNBA, and USA Basketball after striking a partnership deal with the leagues, according to a statement released on Monday. Skims, which released its first line of men’s underwear last week, will be advertised during games and in other media. Ad Age
- Own goal. Former Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales has been barred from the sport for three years by FIFA following his nonconsensual kiss of player Jenni Hermoso at the Women's World Cup. FIFA concluded that Rubiales violated its principles of "fair play, loyalty, and integrity." NBC News
- Mothers in law. Some law firms in the U.K. are working to bring more women to partner positions, but the constant grind needed to get there is almost impossible for women with child care responsibilities. Lawyers who take maternity leave can miss out on promotion opportunities while they're gone and find long hours unsuitable when they return. Financial Times
- Double duty. New data shows that the number of working moms in the U.S. with children under 5 has never been higher because of remote work flexibility and improved paid leave benefits. However, the number of working moms with children under 5 but no college degree dropped since the pandemic started. New York Times
- Version aversion. Taylor Swift’s massively successful re-recording campaign is prompting music industry giants to overhaul contracts to prohibit artists from re-recording their music for up to 30 years after they leave a label. Billboard
MOVERS AND SHAKERS: After Paddy Cosgrave stepped down as Web Summit CEO following his comments about Israel and Palestine, the tech conference organization named former Wikimedia CEO Katherine Maher as its new chief executive officer. Every appointed Kate Lee as editor-in-chief and general manager. Isabelle Kenyon is stepping down as CEO of weight loss startup Calibrate.
ON MY RADAR
Inside the ‘Real Housewives’ reckoning that’s rocking Bravo Vanity Fair
Xi says China's women must start 'new trend of family' Reuters
SZA’s anxious rise to pop superstardom Wall Street Journal
PARTING WORDS
"For what it’s worth, whether it’s a career or a relationship you’re leaving to go solo, you’ll probably be more okay than you realize."
—Former Google chief decision scientist Cassie Kozyrkov in a blog post describing her exit from the company after almost ten years
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