Study: Female AI agents paid less than male counterparts

A study indicates that human biases extend to artificial intelligence (AI) when it is evaluated and compensated in a work context. When participants interacted with two identical AI assistants, one presented as male and the other as female, they assigned the male agent, on average, 10% more pay than the female agent.

In a virtual reality experiment, AI agents named Johan and Johanna were functionally identical. The sole difference was their gender presentation. While participants rated both agents similarly in trustworthiness and work quality, the female-presenting Johanna received less pay and was deemed less human-like.

The findings contrast with participant interviews, where many stated they would trust AI equally regardless of perceived gender. "A machine doesn't actually have a gender, and I'm dealing with a machine or technology," one participant noted. Few acknowledged the potential influence of gender presentation on their evaluations.

The study also found that more human-like AI agents received higher trust and compensation compared to a text-based chatbot or a small desktop robot. While the real-world gender pay gap has narrowed, it persists in the U.S., where women earn approximately 78 cents for every dollar earned by men.