no one left behind: why DEI and AI efforts must evolve together.
4 ways to increase AI accessibility for your diverse workforce
With AI becoming more and more common in the workplace, businesses increasingly seek talent with AI skills to deliver on changing priorities, or develop their own talent to enhance their knowledge of AI. But as the AI revolution continues and those familiar with the technology become more valuable, it’s important that all employees have the opportunity to learn the crucial AI skills needed for the future.
Unfortunately, there are many signs that not all employee groups receive the same opportunities to learn AI — or even use it in their roles. Perhaps due to fears of their jobs being replaced, certain groups also show lower propensity to trust AI in the first place, which can limit their career potential. While some jobs are indeed likely to be replaced by AI, the technology also creates the need for different types of jobs. With research from the World Economic Forum showing that 75% of companies expect to adopt AI technology, they’ll need people with the right skills in AI to drive their success.
This is a time of opportunity. It’s crucial for businesses, as they navigate new AI and emerging technologies, to avoid repeating past mistakes that reinforce inequity. Organizations ahead of the curve are thinking deeply about how they can do things differently, as they roll out AI across their organizations.
As your organization progresses on its AI journey, it will be important to ensure that talent receives the proper AI training and doesn't get left behind. The key is to ensure that all employees, regardless of background, are able to benefit from it. This requires that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies account for the changes introduced by AI, and ensure all are given equal opportunity to use and learn this new technology, expand their skills and increase their value to the organization.
uncovering the AI inequities
So, who is at risk of being left behind when it comes to AI? According to Randstad’s AI & Equity Report — based on surveys of 12,000 professionals around the world — significant gaps exist around gender, age and disabilities.
This comes at a time when more people recognize the reality of AI in the workplace. The report shows that the percentage of talent currently using AI at work has jumped from 33% in 2023 to 42% in 2024. The growth is also reflected in the number of companies providing training in this new technology, with 35% of talent saying they’ve been offered AI training, up from just 13% the previous year. But the findings also show that opportunities to learn and use AI are not offered equitably.
gender: women remain largely underrepresented
The gender gap around AI is striking; while 71% of male talent say they have AI skills, only 29% of female talent indicate the same. While this gap of 42 points may seem massive, it’s even wider when it comes to individual AI skills: 64 points for software development, 62 for AI data processing and 60 for AI cloud applications. This can be explained by the fact there are fewer opportunities for women to learn more about AI. Overall, 41% of men, compared to 35% of women, say they’ve been provided with access to AI. Meanwhile, although 38% of men report being offered AI skilling opportunities by their employer, only 33% of women received such opportunities.
age: older individuals more skeptical, less opportunities to learn
The results are even more striking in regard to generational disparities. While 45% of Gen Z employees say they have been offered training in AI, that number drops to just 22% for Baby Boomers. Similarly, only 23% of Baby Boomers say they’ve been given the chance to use AI at work — the lowest of all age groups. Part of the disparity may be due to older workers tending to be more skeptical of AI’s potential; just 34% believe AI will make their job easier, compared to 44% of Gen X, 58% of millennials and 63% of Gen Z. Still, employers need to consider how to make AI, and training, more available to all age groups.
people with disabilities: early adopters seek greater accessibility to AI
The story is a bit different for people with disabilities, as such individuals are more likely to embrace AI and its potential to make their jobs easier. For example, 55% say they already use AI to solve problems at work, compared to just 39% of those without disabilities. However, more than half of Gen Z and millennial employees with disabilities want greater accessibility support around AI, and organizations may risk losing talent if they don’t deliver. Because many people with disabilities are early adopters, 29% say they would leave their jobs if not offered opportunities to upskill in AI, while only 18% of those without disabilities say the same.
reskilling those at risk of being replaced
While the report didn’t survey talent based on race or ethnicity, it’s important to note that significant disparities exist on these fronts as well. Research by McKinsey found that 24% of Black workers are in occupations that have a 75% chance of being replaced by automation, while 53% of Black workers are worried that AI will replace their jobs in the next five years, for example. Focusing on reskilling those who are at the highest risk can help minimize those odds and give the business greater access to these high-demand skills. After all, another study found teams in which at least 25% of AI development employees represent racial minorities are more than twice as likely to be high AI performers.
upskill talent in AI to unlock their potential
The data is clear: Significant gaps exist not just in the amount of diverse talent being offered opportunities to use AI in the workplace, but also the chance to learn more through upskilling in the technology. And companies may risk losing talent who aren’t given the chance to learn and utilize AI. Just consider the 29% of disabled employees, as well as 18% of women, who would look for a new job if they don’t receive the chance to learn AI skills.
Striving to upskill your entire workforce in AI is more than just about ensuring equity; it also opens up your talent pool by finding people internally with the potential to learn and grow. For instance, people with disabilities are more likely to embrace AI – and many already are. Overall, 27% of individuals with disabilities say they use AI daily at work, compared to 18% of those without disabilities. Further empowering such individuals who already understand the power of AI is common sense. Be sure to build inclusive and accessible workplaces for this talent as you empower them to become highly skilled.
For women and older individuals, who are more skeptical of the promise of AI, there’s an imperative to build greater confidence by educating talent about its potential. Making AI more accessible and providing clear examples of how it can improve the way they do their jobs can make it less scary and drive adoption.
Older employees, who represent the age group with the lowest usage rate (31%) and the fewest number of people seeking AI learning opportunities outside the workplace (27%), may be the most challenging to upskill. But, this will be especially important in markets with aging workforces and lower numbers of emerging talent; without these skills, the company may struggle to remain competitive and fully benefit from the transformational power of technology.
4 ways to increase AI accessibility
Given the significant gaps in AI for certain diverse groups, and the crucial need to close them, what can your organization do to ensure an equitable approach to AI? There are several strategies to make sure no one gets left behind, and that all employees have the same opportunity to thrive with AI.
01. Ensure a democratized approach to upskilling.
Although younger and male employees may be more likely to use AI, they shouldn’t be the only groups to receive training. Taking a more equitable approach, in which such programs are made available to all, is a first step. Create formal learning opportunities and actively encourage employees from those diverse groups to participate by showing how it can prepare them for new roles and increase their earning potential. This will help drive confidence in AI, increase adoption and enable all employees to grow their knowledge of AI and enhance their value to the organization.
02. Determine which roles are most vulnerable to becoming obsolete.
Sometimes just offering the chance to upskill in AI isn’t enough, especially for those whose jobs are at biggest risk of being replaced. Identifying those roles and offering individuals concrete plans to learn new skills and transition to new areas of the business. This will also help to avoid the need for layoffs, while saving time and costs in recruiting new talent.
03. Create diverse teams to understand the impact and opportunities of AI.
The growth of AI impacts people differently, especially those from the three diversity groups discussed. To ensure the organization best meets the needs of its diverse populations, include representatives from these groups in any AI task force or committee to help develop AI skilling plans. Doing so can ensure that the needs and concerns of all groups are considered, and any roadblocks or trouble areas can be identified and addressed.
04. Take a skills-based approach to talent acquisition and mobility.
Focusing on each individual’s unique skills and potential to learn is key to a robust diversity program, and AI is no different. Rather than recruiting external talent with years of AI experience, which has become highly competitive, consider people in those diverse groups internally or externally already using it, or those who show potential to learn quickly.
leave no one behind in the AI revolution
As the full promise of AI to transform how work gets done remains to be realized, ensuring employees are prepared to embrace it should be a priority. But as organizations adjust and find new ways to leverage AI, it’s crucial that your diverse employee populations aren’t left behind. Start by understanding who those individuals are and why they aren’t receiving opportunities to use AI at work. Then, make sure all employees are given the chance to upskill with AI. Doing this can ensure that your AI and DEI strategies not only align, but converge in a way that gives all people an equal chance to elevate their value and help their organization meet future challenges.