Women Hold Just 15% of Australia’s AI Leadership Roles as Gender Gap Widens
Synopsis
LinkedIn research shows the gender gap in AI widens at more senior levels, leaving women underrepresented in the roles shaping one of Australia’s fastest-growing technology industries.
Women occupy only 15% of C-suite positions at artificial intelligence companies in Australia which highlights a significant leadership gap in one of the country's fastest-growing industries, according to new LinkedIn research.
The findings come as AI adoption accelerates across businesses and demand for skilled professionals continues to climb.
The study found that women remain underrepresented across the AI workforce with the gap widening as employees move into senior leadership roles.
While Australia performs slightly better than the global average of 13% for female AI executives, the research suggests the industry's rapid expansion has not translated into equal leadership opportunities.
AI Hiring is Rising but Leadership Remains Uneven
LinkedIn's analysis shows AI job postings in Australia have roughly doubled over the past three years, reflecting growing demand for AI expertise across industries. AI professionals also earn significantly more than workers in non-AI roles with average annual salaries of $177,000 compared with $80,000 for other positions.
Despite this growth, women account for only about one-third of AI employees at junior and mid-level positions. Representation falls further at the executive level. Women hold just over one in five non-AI executive roles within AI companies and less than one-quarter of AI-focused executive positions at non-AI organisations.
LinkedIn's Head of Public Policy and Economic Graph for Australia and New Zealand, Audrey Lobo-Pulo said the lack of female representation means businesses risk missing valuable perspectives while developing technologies that are increasingly influencing society and the economy.
High-Paying AI Roles See the Widest Gender Gap
The research also found that the highest-paying AI roles tend to have the lowest proportion of female hires. Positions such as Head of AI, AI Engineer, Applied AI specialist and Machine Learning Engineer remain heavily male dominated. In contrast, Data Annotator which is the AI role with the strongest gender balance is also among the sector's lowest-paid jobs.
The findings mirror the ACS Digital Pulse 2026 report which found women make up less than one-third of Australia's broader technology workforce.
Together, the reports suggest that while AI is creating high-value career opportunities, improving access to leadership, technical expertise and career progression for women will be essential if the industry is to address its widening gender gap.
Source: Information Age
Vishal is an experienced Editor at Inspirepreneur Magazine with key interests in artificial intelligence, eCommerce, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and startup sector. Prior to joining Inspirepreneur, he was a Content Writer cum Correspondent at Siliconindia Magazine, where he worked on Company Profiles, Cover Stories, Executive Profiles, Feature Articles and Thought Leadership content.
