Are AI jobs driving greater demand for STEM education? Yes, but not for women.

This event is organized as part of ITU's AI for Good Series.

This seminar presents new evidence on how AI adoption in U.S. labour markets is shaping demand for STEM education. The study highlights rising overall demand, a widening gender gap, and the moderating role of female faculty representation.

Paper abstract: 

This study combines data on degrees awarded across U.S. colleges and universities with data on online job vacancies to examine the impact of AI penetration in local labour markets on the demand for STEM education. The findings show that between 2014 and 2022, AI increased overall demand for STEM education across all racial groups. However, the study also reveals that AI widened the gender gap in STEM, as it drove greater demand and degree growth in male-dominated fields such as engineering, compared to fields with a higher share of female students, such as health sciences. Notably, the analysis finds that in institutions with a higher proportion of female faculty, the impact of AI on the STEM gender gap was mitigated