Member content

Executive brief: AI’s hidden costs for women: Risks to talent and ROI

5 min read

| Published on

Executive summary

Catalyst’s survey of more than 1,500 women using AI at work in Canada and the United States identifies three hidden costs that can limit both women’s ability to benefit from AI and organizations’ return on their AI investments:

  1. The productivity cost: For many women, AI adds work instead of reducing it, as output expectations rise and employees are expected to learn new tools on their own time.
  2. The credibility cost: Women can face a double bind: they may be judged as less capable if they use AI and less competent if they do not.
  3. The talent cost: AI-related workload, credibility concerns, and biased outcomes are linked to higher burnout and greater intent to leave.

To protect the value of their AI investments, leaders need to reduce unnecessary work, set clear performance expectations, and address burnout and retention risks for women.

How to cite: Executive brief: AI’s hidden costs for women: Risks to talent and ROI. (2026). Catalyst.

Ceci est un contenu exclusif aux Membres du réseau.

Les employés des organisations Membres du réseau peuvent s'inscrire ou se connecter pour obtenir un accès complet. Les utilisateurs existants et nouveaux doivent créer un nouveau compte.

Connexion