Who benefits from AI and who is left behind?
Speaking at the United Nations, Sarah Steinberg highlighted the disproportionate impact of AI on women in the workforce. One in three women works in a job "likely to be disrupted or significantly changed by AI compared to one in four men globally,” Steinberg said. At the same time, women account for only a third of those building AI skills, creating a skills gap that could limit access to emerging jobs.
Steinberg warned that without inclusive workforce strategies, economies risk leaving half the population behind, constraining growth potential. “If we’re leaving behind half the population, we’re not going to realize the economic growth and job creation potential of AI transformation,” he said.
Steinberg shared these insights in a panel conversation titled “The AI Divide: From Warning to Action,” filmed at UN headquarters in New York. The conversation is part of GZERO Media’s Global Stage series, in partnership with Microsoft, which brings together global leaders to discuss the geopolitical and technological trends shaping our world.
