Women Use AI Chatbots Nearly As Often As Men, But See Fewer Productivity Benefits

Women have largely caught up with men in using artificial intelligence chatbots, but fewer say the technology helps them become more productive, according to a new analysis.

The Pew Research Center found that nearly half of women (47%) reported using AI chatbots, compared with 50% of men. However, 25% of women said the tools helped their productivity, versus 35% of men, a 10-percentage-point difference.

Pew's gender analysis drew on findings previously released in June. The nationally representative survey of 5,119 U.S. adults was conducted February 17 through 23, 2026, meaning the results describe experiences earlier this year in an industry that is advancing at an unprecedented pace.

The productivity figures represent shares of all men and women surveyed, rather than percentages calculated only among chatbot users. They capture respondents' perceptions, not independently measured changes in output, work quality or time saved.

That distinction matters when interpreting the findings, as the survey does not establish that women receive smaller productivity gains when completing the same tasks as men. It also does not explain whether differences in occupations, access, training or frequency of use account for the gap.

Frequency offers one point of comparison. Men were more likely to use chatbots daily, at 27%, compared with 20% of women. Similar overall adoption therefore did not translate into identical patterns of regular use.

Work-related use differed as well. Among employed adults, 40% of men said they used chatbots for tasks at work, compared with 35% of women. Searching for information was more common among both groups, reported by 45% of men and 39% of women.

Other activities showed smaller differences. Women and men reported nearly identical rates of using chatbots to create or edit images and videos, at 23% and 24%, respectively. Use for diet or fitness information was also similar.

Women were slightly more likely to seek emotional support or advice through chatbots, at 11%, compared with 8% of men. Companionship accounted for a much smaller share, with 4% of each group reporting that use.

The broader survey provides context for the productivity finding as, across all U.S. adults, 30% said chatbots helped their productivity, while 5% said they hurt it and 14% said they neither helped nor hurt.

Perceived benefits were less common in personal areas. Just 8% of adults said chatbots helped their happiness, and 6% said they helped their relationships. Most respondents who assessed those areas reported neither benefit nor harm.

Nationally, 49% of adults reported using chatbots, up from 33% in 2024. Pew noted a change in question wording between the surveys, a consideration when comparing adoption over time.