📌 Key facts
- What: This thesis addresses gender differences in digital technology use, with a particular focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and research explaining the emergence of gender gaps in adoption and learning
- When: Start anytime soon. Applications are open!
- How to apply: Send your CV, transcript of records, and max. 5 sentences why this topic interests you (more details below)
- 📌 Key facts
- 💡 Background
- 🦾Who We Are
- 🎯 Topics of Interest and Potential Outcomes
- 🎓 Profile
- 📝 How to Apply
💡 Background
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a critical skill in the workplace, with AI-related competencies increasingly shaping career opportunities, wages, and advancement. However, recent evidence shows that women adopt and use AI tools significantly less than men, resulting in an AI gender gap (Blanding, 2025; Pal et al., 2024). Women currently represent only around 22 % of the global AI workforce, raising concerns about unequal access to emerging skill-based opportunities and long-term career implications (Pal et al., 2024).
Importantly, this gap cannot be explained by formal qualifications alone. As labor markets increasingly reward AI-related skills over degrees, differences in learning opportunities, experimentation, and continued use become critical (Bone et al., 2025).
Against this background, a key open question is how gender differences in learning, upskilling, and technology adoption emerge and persist, and which organizational or educational conditions may help reduce these differences. Addressing these questions is essential for understanding the mechanisms underlying the AI gender gap and for designing more inclusive approaches to digital skill development.
🦾Who We Are
I am a PhD student and Senior Consultant at McKinsey & Company. My research interest lies broadly in the human dimensions of AI, including its adoption, effective use, and its impact on workplace dynamics. I have an educational background in Business and Information Systems Management.
As Chair for Strategy and Organization we are focused on research with impact. This means we do not want to repeat old ideas and base our research solely on the research people did 10 years ago. Instead, we currently research topics that will shape the future such as Quantum/Deep Tech, (Generative) Artifical Intelligence, Digital Transformation and Business Model Innovation, Diversity, Education Technology and Performance Management, Leadership, and Teams. We are always early in noticing trends, technologies, strategies, and organisations that shape the future, which has its ups and downs.
🎯 Topics of Interest and Potential Outcomes
- Gender-specific barriers and enablers for digital technology adoption
- Gender differences in learning and upskilling
- Organizational and educational interventions to reduce gender differences in technology use
🎓 Profile
- Strong interest in AI, digital transformation, and societal or organizational issues
- Reliable, structured, and self-driven working style
- Strong academic record and analytical mindset
📝 How to Apply
If you are interested, please contact Lisa-Maria Schober by submitting your CV, grade report, preferred starting date & short motivation statement (max. 5 sentences) Please also indicate which kind of thesis (= outcome) you are interested in.