Ahead of International Women’s Day, new Coursera report highlights global progress in closing gender gap in key skills areas

By Dr. Alexandra Urban, Coursera

As we prepare to celebrate International Women’s Day, I’m excited to share New Coursera Studieshighlighted the progress made over the past year in closing the gender gap in key skill areas, including generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and fundamental human abilities such as critical thinking.

GenAI will accelerate the global economy and change the way work is done, and IDC research shows that GenAI can increase the world’s wealth by as much as $22.3 trillion by 2030. If these potential economic benefits are to be distributed more equitably, agencies must ensure that all individuals have the skills needed to take advantage of these emerging technologies.

our One year later: The gender gap in GenAI Report, released a year after Coursera’s original release The gender gap in GenAI The analysis aims to examine where we have successfully closed the gender gap in key skills areas and why.

Key findings of the report include:

1. One year after Coursera’s initial analysis of the gender gap in GenAI, the data shows clear and encouraging signs of progress.
   • Although women are still underrepresented in GenAI learning globally, the gender gap is shrinking significantly. Women’s share of total GenAI enrollment increases from 32% in 2024 to 36% in 2025.
   • For corporate learners, In 2024, women will account for 36% of Coursera’s GenAI enrollment and 42% in 2025. This progress is particularly encouraging given the rapid growth in GenAI participation across all demographics, indicating that women are engaging with the technology at a faster rate than their male peers.
2. Although the global gap is closing, there are significant regional and local differences in the uptake of GenAI skills by gender.
   • latin american countries GenAI enrollment among female learners on Coursera has doubled compared to this time last year. Outstanding performers include Peru (+14.5 percentage points year-on-year), Mexico (+5.3 percentage points), and Colombia (+4.5 percentage points).
   • asia pacific countries It also continues to narrow the GenAI gender gap on Coursera. Uzbekistan is globally outstanding and records An increase of 8.8 percentage points Enrollment ratio of female learners.
     • IndiaIt is Coursera’s largest GenAI registration market in the world and has recorded an increase of 2.2 percentage pointsalthough Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailandand the Philippines The proportion of female enrollment in GenAI courses has also increased year by year.
   • However, in many English and Economically developed countriesmale enrollment grew faster.
     • exist USA (-0.9 percentage points), Canada (-1.0 percentage points), U.K. (-1.8 percentage points), Spain (-1.1 percentage points), and Germany (-0.2% percentage points), women will make up a smaller share of total GenAI enrollment in 2025 than in 2024.
3. Once barriers to entry are removed, female learners typically demonstrate higher levels of GenAI learning persistence.
   • Among the few countries where it makes sense, Once enrolled, women are more likely than men to complete GenAI coursesdemonstrate strong persistence and commitment to these urgent new skills.
   • Among the top five countries with GenAI enrollment, Women are 1.5 times more likely to complete a GenAI course Once enrolled, more than their male counterparts.
   • These patterns indicate The main barrier for women entering GenAI is often access, not ability or motivationespecially in Latin America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Once engaged, women tend to have equal or higher persistence rates than men, highlighting the importance of removing initial barriers to participation.

Coursera’s platform data shows that female learners are more likely to enroll in courses that view GenAI as an immediately useful tool for productivity and problem-solving. The most important examples include:

The report also provides recommendations for institutions seeking to accelerate progress towards equitable access to skills. These include:

• GenAI courses designed for beginners with the following features real world applications.
• make sure visible representation and inclusive pedagogy Across educational models.
• Expand access by: policy, partnershipand localization.
• through increased participation social recognition and Diverse role models.
• Combine GenAI skills with enduring human capabilities Like critical thinking.

We hope this report provides the data and strategies needed to achieve greater inclusion and retention. Educators, businesses, and governments all have a role to play in creating more equitable learning experiences. By designing with audience in mind, we can ensure that women of all backgrounds, experiences, and geographies can upskill, persist, and thrive in the GenAI economy.

You can visit One year later: The gender gap in GenAI Report here.