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This large gap — 81.3% compared to 58.8% — stems from the higher representation of women in skilled trades, where AI usage remains extremely low.
Men are far more likely than women to use AI at work — 81.3% compared to 58.8% — a gap largely driven by women’s stronger representation in skilled trades, where AI adoption remains minimal.
A report by Generation, titled AI at Work: A Global Entry-Level Perspective, surveyed 5,549 of its alumni across 17 countries and 40 professions. The findings shed light on how men and women in healthcare, customer service, tech, green jobs, and skilled trades are experiencing AI in their workplaces today.
This survey provides insights into how graduates are experiencing AI at work, while also including perspectives from entry-level workers without a college degree, representing countries across a range of income levels worldwide.
Here is what the findings entailed:
Men are heavier users of AI than women
The report found that AI use is significantly higher among men than women, with over four in five (81.3%) of men saying they use it at work compared to just under three in five (58.8%) of women. This gap is largely explained by the higher representation of women in skilled trades, where AI adoption remains minimal.
Unsurprisingly, usage is most prevalent in the tech sector, where the gender divide also narrows, with men and women reporting nearly equal levels of adoption.
Across the 17 countries surveyed, tech alumni reported relatively even use of AI regardless of location. These countries span high-, upper-middle-, and lower-middle-income economies, with adoption rates ranging from just over 80% to more than 90%.
Within the tech sector, usage is especially strong in “hard” tech roles such as full stack development and cloud practice, where nearly nine in ten workers report using AI, compared to around eight in ten in “soft” tech roles like digital customer support.
AI use in the tech sector also rises with tenure. Among recent Generation graduates just 5–7 months into their roles, usage stands at 64%, compared to 86% for those with more than seven months of experience.
Across sectors, alumni are tapping into a wide range of tools. ChatGPT is the most commonly used, cited by nearly seven in ten, followed by Gemini and Microsoft Copilot. Many other platforms were also mentioned, highlighting the breadth of AI adoption in daily work.
The report also revealed other key findings, including:
- AI is already part of daily life for many, with 65% reporting that they use AI at work. Half are adopting AI on their own initiative, while the rest use tools provided by their employers or a combination of the two. Among AI users, 79% engage with AI tools at least once a week, rising to 89% in the tech sector, and more than a third (37%) use AI daily.
- AI is being used in multiple ways by employees, with 67% of respondents using AI for multiple functions – including learning (61%), content creation (49%), and administrative tasks (44%). In customer service and sales, content creation (43%) and learning (35%) are the top uses. And while use is lower in green jobs and skilled trades, early adopters in these fields are using AI to primarily learn new skills and create content.
- Global adoption is strong – but perceived benefits differ. 94% reported that AI has improved their ability to do their job – including 63% who say it helped a lot. However, the perceived value of AI varies across countries. In upper-middle-income countries, 70% of entry-level workers say AI has greatly improved their job performance – compared to 64% in lower-middle-income countries and 49% in high-income countries. Similar trends hold for enjoyment: employees in emerging economies are more likely to say AI has made their work more fulfilling.
- Clarity around use cases would help further AI adoption. While adoption is strong overall, 35% of entry-level employees surveyed are not yet using AI at work. Among this group, 72% say they're interested – but face barriers including a lack of training (30%), uncertainty about how AI applies to their role (30%), and not having enough time to learn (12%). Only a small share cites trust issues or a lack of clear benefit.
Dr. Mona Mourshed, Founding Global CEO of Generation, commented:
"AI is reshaping the workplace – and across our thousands of alumni, most of whom do not have a college degree, we see entry-level employees charging ahead, using tools to learn faster, work smarter, and enjoy their jobs more.
"We need to ensure every worker, in every sector, has the access and support to begin harnessing the power of AI in their roles."
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