UN Women Warns AI Risks Deepening Gender Inequality

Research cited by UN Women found that 44 per cent of 133 AI systems studied displayed gender bias, while 26 per cent showed both gender and racial bias.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how content is created, decisions are made and information is shared, but without stronger safeguards it could also deepen existing inequalities faced by women and girls, according to UN Women.

Ahead of the United Nations Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance and the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva next month, the agency has highlighted growing concerns about bias, exclusion and online harm linked to AI systems. UN Women says the decisions being made today about how AI is designed, governed and deployed will have lasting consequences for gender equality in the digital age.

Bias in AI Remains a Global Challenge

Research cited by UN Women found that 44 per cent of 133 AI systems studied displayed gender bias, while 26 per cent showed both gender and racial bias. The agency warns that many AI systems continue to reflect stereotypes found in the data used to train them. Large language models frequently associate women with domestic and caregiving roles, while linking men to leadership, business and career-related concepts.

These patterns can influence how women are portrayed in digital content, advertising and online communications. As AI-generated material becomes more common, concerns are growing that biased systems could reinforce harmful assumptions on a much larger scale.

Despite these risks, only about half of marketers currently use human oversight to review AI-generated content before it is released, increasing the possibility that discriminatory messages may go unnoticed.

Women Face Growing Digital Risks

UN Women also warns that artificial intelligence is amplifying existing forms of online abuse directed at women and girls. According to the agency, almost one in four surveyed women human rights defenders, journalists and activists reported experiencing AI-assisted online violence. Deepfake technology and manipulated images have become increasingly common tools for harassment, intimidation and image-based abuse.

The report notes that women already face higher levels of online violence than men, and AI is making these threats more sophisticated and easier to scale. At the same time, women remain underrepresented in the industry creating these technologies. Women account for only 30 per cent of the global AI workforce, limiting the diversity of perspectives involved in designing systems that affect billions of people. This imbalance raises concerns that gender-specific risks and experiences may not be fully considered during the development process.

Economic Opportunities and Risks

The growing influence of AI is expected to transform labour markets worldwide. Yet UN Women says women are more likely than men to work in occupations vulnerable to automation, creating a risk that economic disruption could disproportionately affect female workers. The impact is often even greater for people facing multiple forms of disadvantage based on race, disability, income or geographic location.

At the same time, the agency argues that inclusive AI can deliver significant benefits for businesses and society. Research from the Unstereotype Alliance found that advertising free from gender stereotypes is linked to stronger sales performance, greater customer loyalty and higher brand value.

UN Women is calling for women and girls to be included at every stage of the AI lifecycle, from design and development to regulation and governance. The agency says AI has the potential to improve representation, accessibility and inclusion, but only if governments, companies and technology developers actively address bias and ensure diverse voices help shape the future of the technology.

As global discussions on AI governance continue, UN Women argues that building a fair digital future will depend on whether gender equality becomes a core part of the conversation rather than an afterthought.