AI is becoming one of the most lucrative parts of the labor market, but women are getting a much smaller share of those opportunities.
LinkedIn data shows U.S. AI job postings have roughly doubled since 2023, with a typical AI posting offering about $177,000 in listed compensation, compared with $80,000 for non-AI roles. Yet women accounted for just 26% of AI hires in 2025, compared with 50% of hires into non-AI occupations.
The Gap Gets Larger Higher Up
Women are also less represented in some of the highest-paying AI positions. They made up 20% of Head of AI roles, 26% of Director of AI positions and 18% of Member of Technical Staff roles, according to LinkedIn.
The disparity is even more pronounced in leadership. Across 27 countries, women hold just 13% of C-suite AI leadership positions at AI companies.
LinkedIn’s research identifies gaps at several points in the AI talent pipeline. Women’s representation is about 10 percentage points lower in AI roles than in non-AI roles, while their representation at AI-focused companies is about 5 percentage points lower than at comparable non-AI companies.
AI Hiring Is Expanding Beyond Traditional Roles
The growth in AI hiring is also changing which jobs companies are seeking. AI Engineer has surpassed Machine Learning Engineer as LinkedIn’s most common AI occupation in job postings.
Postings for VP of AI positions have increased roughly sixfold, while Forward Deployed Engineer, a role focused on implementing AI solutions for organizations, has become the third most common AI occupation in postings.
Education is another dividing line. About 91% of AI workers have at least a bachelor’s degree, with the share exceeding 95% in several of the highest-paying AI occupations.
As AI becomes a larger source of job growth and higher wages, the gender and education gaps could determine who benefits most from the emerging labor market.
