Artificial Inequality: AI is exacerbating career and gender divides, research from The Adaptavist Group reveals

Digital Etiquette survey uncovers how enterprises and men are being given access to AI opportunities such as tools and training, while others are left behind

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, July 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Adaptavist Group, a collection of diverse technology companies making businesses work better, today launches its annual Digital Etiquette report Unlocking the AI Gates, which uncovers how workplace implementation of AI is deepening inequalities on a global scale.

Based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. knowledge workers, the study reveals that nearly one-third (30%) now use AI tools 20 or more times per week. That same percentage says AI saves them more than 10 hours of work each week, opening the door to the possibility of a four-day work week for some.

However, clear divides are emerging between large enterprises and small businesses. While 34% of US knowledge workers at large enterprises (5,000+ employees) use AI tools very frequently, only 13% of those at small businesses (under 50 employees) do the same. Training also remains uneven: 35% of small business workers report receiving no AI training or tools provided at all, which is more than double the number at large companies (16%).

ChatGPT by OpenAI tops the list of AI tools used (74% of knowledge workers), followed by Microsoft Copilot (56%), Gemini by Google (49%), DeepSeek (24%), Claude AI by Anthropic (21%), and CapCut (21%). ChatGPT’s freemium model makes it popular with small businesses (69% usage), while Microsoft Copilot leads (65%) in enterprises (10,000+ employees), where ChatGPT is often restricted due to data privacy concerns. As a result, more than one in four (28%) knowledge workers at the largest enterprises say they have hidden their use of AI at work due to fear of repercussions.

Training is delivering better outcomes for those who get it

The findings also show how training translates into greater efficiency: 56% of those with 20 hours or more of training annually are saving at least 11 hours a week by using AI, equivalent to 1.4 working days for the average full-time employee. Of this figure, 17% said they are saving more than 30 hours, close to the equivalent of four full working days! Comparing this with those who had received no training at all, nearly a quarter (23%) saved just one hour or less per week.

Digital Etiquette 2025 reveals a clear link between AI training and enablement with better outcomes, indicating that AI training is becoming a key differentiating factor for career mobility and success in the workplace. This highlights the need to support workers at all levels of the organization. Employees who received more than 20 hours of AI training annually were over four times more likely to view it as indispensable (33%) compared to those with no training (4%).

Those with more training not only saw more value but felt more comfortable proving it. Three-quarters (81%) of those with over 20 hours of training felt comfortable proving the ROI of their AI tools, compared to 59% of those with 3-5 hours of training. There is also a direct correlation between training and job satisfaction. Some 58% of those with more than 20 hours of training reported that AI had significantly increased their job satisfaction, compared to a mere 9% of those who had received an hour or less of training.

Additionally, the figures suggest that company culture may be hindering AI skills and outcomes, as a significant 38% of workers stated they wanted more training but were hesitant to ask for it.

Reinforcing the gender gap

The study also uncovered that women are given less access to training than their male counterparts, despite the clear correlation between training and AI value: 48% of women reported receiving more than five hours of training in the last 12 months, compared to 68% of men; one-in-five women (20%) have had less than an hour of training on AI, whereas just 8% of men said the same, and, 50% of women reported having completed a formal AI training accreditation, compared to 75% of men.

This is evident throughout the organizational hierarchy. Only 67% of female C-level executives received structured training sessions on AI from external providers compared with 78% of men in the same position. Amongst administrative staff, 46% of women received structured external training compared with 64% of men. At a time when AI is increasingly being used to automate administrative tasks, fueling job cuts, this poses an urgent question about whether women will be more exposed to redundancy risk than men.

Asked whether they believed they had been given 'sufficient guidance on how to use AI at work', there is a further gulf between men (88%) and women (78%) at C-level. This trend holds amongst administrative staff, with 56% of women citing sufficient guidance compared with 91% of men.

Jon Mort, CTO of The Adaptavist Group, commented: "Our research makes it clear that AI has the potential to unlock huge value for both workers and their organizations, but right now, that opportunity isn’t equally shared. Workers at large enterprises are far more likely to receive structured training and support, while those at small businesses are often left to figure it out on their own. We’re also seeing worrying gaps when it comes to gender, with women getting less training and guidance on how to use AI tools effectively, despite the clear link between training and better outcomes. If we want AI to help close gaps rather than widen them, organizations of every size must take action to ensure equal access to tools, training, and support. Otherwise, we risk entrenching the very divides that technology should help to bridge.”

Susi O’Neill, AI Consultant and Founder of EVA, comments: “Popular AI tools are built in the vision of Silicon Valley and best serve its demographics, leaving others behind. This critical research exposes how higher earners with more AI training extract more value, and explicitly shows the gender disparity in similar roles, with women facing reduced access and opportunities. As AI adoption accelerates, this creates a divide between AI 'haves' and 'have-nots' which will deepen inequality at work.

“This isn't just about fairness, it's about organisational survival. Companies that prioritise inclusive AI principles will outperform those that don't. The choice is simple: give everyone AI access for exponential growth, or concentrate opportunity among the few and limit your potential.”

-ENDS-

About The Adaptavist Group
The Adaptavist Group is a collection of diverse companies with one common goal: to make business work better. We combine the best talent, technology, and processes to make it easier for our customers to excel – today and tomorrow.

We are experts at delivering innovative software, tailored solutions, and quality services across some of the world’s most trusted technology ecosystems, including Atlassian, AWS, monday.com, GitLab, and many more.

The Adaptavist Group exists to support clients’ day-to-day workflows, business transformation, and high-growth strategies. We offer a comprehensive but always evolving range of services across key practices: DevOps, work management, ITSM, AI, agile, and cloud. Our depth of knowledge across these practices unites us in our mission to help businesses embrace continuous transformation and make it their competitive advantage.

Sam Milligan
The Adaptavist Group
+44 20 7846 7860
adaptavist@wearetfd.com
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn