Women in the UK engaging in AI upskilling is decreasing
This International Women’s Day, new data from Coursera reveal that while the global gender gap in Generative AI (GenAI) upskilling is narrowing, the UK is moving in the opposite direction, with women representing a smaller share of total Generative AI course enrolments in 2025 than they did the previous year.
According to Coursera’s One Year Later: The Gender Gap in GenAI report, women’s share of GenAI enrolments in the United Kingdom has declined by two percentage points year-on-year, with the likes of Ireland (-6 pp) and Switzerland (-3 pp) falling even further. In contrast, women’s share of total GenAI enrolments rose from 32% previously to 36% in 2025 globally.
The disparity is not limited to participation rates; it is also evident in completion outcomes. In the UK, women are seven percentage points less likely than men to complete a GenAI course after enrolling, one of the widest completion gaps globally – second only to Germany, where women are eight pp less likely to complete their course.
The findings suggest that while demand for GenAI skills continues to accelerate, the UK risks widening the gap in access to one of the most transformative skillsets shaping the future of work. If left unaddressed, there is a risk of widening the gap in access to the economic and professional opportunities driven by AI-led growth.
Human skills tell a different story
Despite the dip in GenAI participation, women in the UK are strongly represented in complementary human skills. Women account for 46% of Critical Thinking enrolments in the UK – up from 38% in 2024 – indicating that British women are increasingly honing a skill recognised as essential for validating and responsibly applying AI outputs.
As human oversight remains essential to the responsible deployment of AI, learners who build strong critical thinking skills will be better positioned to succeed both professionally and personally in an AI-driven economy.
Course design and accessibility matter
Coursera’s findings show that beginner-friendly, application-driven GenAI courses attract significantly higher female participation globally. Google’s Introduction to AI, for example, has achieved 41% enrolment from women globally.
Application-oriented courses focused on areas such as content creation, teaching, productivity and prompt engineering also see participation rates approaching gender parity, as high at 49%. Demonstrating that framing GenAI as practical, relevant and accessible plays a critical role in engagement.
Dr. Alexandra Urban, Learning Science Research Lead, Coursera, said: “Gaining AI skills is essential if the UK is to nurture business growth and individual opportunity. While global progress shows the gender gap in GenAI learning is narrowing, the UK has started moving in the opposite direction, with women’s participation failing to keep pace with their male peers. If left unaddressed, this skills gap could transform into a social and economic divide.
“The data shows that progress is possible when the right conditions are in place. Designing beginner-friendly, application-driven courses, ensuring visible representation and inclusive teaching practices, expanding access through partnerships, and pairing GenAI with durable human skills like Critical Thinking can significantly improve participation. With deliberate investment and sustained focus, GenAI upskilling can scale more equitably, ensuring women are empowered to thrive in the AI economy.”
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