{"id":4262,"date":"2026-08-27T19:04:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T17:04:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lome.legal\/women-and-ai-why-do-female-entrepreneurs-make-less-use-of-artificial-intelligence\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T19:31:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T17:31:05","slug":"women-and-ai-why-do-female-entrepreneurs-make-less-use-of-artificial-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lome.legal\/en\/women-and-ai-why-do-female-entrepreneurs-make-less-use-of-artificial-intelligence\/","title":{"rendered":"Women and AI\u2014Why Do Female Entrepreneurs Make Less Use of Artificial Intelligence?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

All you have to do is open LinkedIn, browse the headlines on business websites, or listen to panel discussions at industry conferences to get the impression that artificial intelligence (AI) is doing everything for us these days. According to tech evangelists, algorithms write emails, analyze markets flawlessly, optimize taxes, and in their spare time, they practically make coffee. The reality for Polish businesses\u2014especially smaller ones, run with great success by women\u2014is, however, far less utopian.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

When we step outside the Silicon Valley bubble and take a closer look at data from our own backyard, we notice a phenomenon that market analysts and business sociologists are increasingly referring to as the \u201cfemale AI gap.<\/strong>\u201d What is the real cause of this? Is it a fear of the new, of technology we don\u2019t understand? Absolutely not. As a law firm that advises businesses on a daily basis, we observe this phenomenon up close. The causes are much more complex, and paradoxically, the primary factor is not a technological barrier at all, but the law. There is also a dramatic lack of time and a mismatch between the training market and the real needs of microenterprises, including those run by women.<\/p>\n\n

Women and AI\u2014the barrier is not a lack of access to technology, but a lack of knowledge about how to implement AI into the process<\/h2>\n\n

Let\u2019s start by looking at the statistics. In 2025, approximately 20% of EU companies with at least 10 employees were using AI. In Poland, that figure was only 8.36%. If we look at a cross-section of company sizes, across the EU, approximately 17% of small companies, 30.36% of medium-sized companies, and 55.03% of large companies were using AI.<\/p>\n\n

It is worth noting that Eurostat data does not directly include most sole proprietorships and the smallest microenterprises. And it is precisely in this segment that the majority of women-owned businesses in Poland operate. Polish women excel at running their own agile businesses. However, official statistics often overlook their daily struggles with implementing innovations, serving only to highlight the extent of Poland\u2019s lag behind other countries.<\/p>\n\n

So what actually accounts for this phenomenon? Part of the \u201cfemale AI gap\u201d is, in fact, a result of the small scale of these businesses and their smaller investment budgets. It also stems from a concentration in service industries, the lack of an IT or analytics department, and insufficiently organized data and processes. The primary barrier is often not a lack of access to technology, but a lack of knowledge about how to apply AI to a specific business process, cost, or revenue stream. When female business owners do adopt innovations, they primarily use these tools for writing messages, creating posts, and searching for information. They are much less likely to use AI solutions for process automation or data analysis.<\/p>\n\n

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Why Are Female Entrepreneurs Falling Behind? Four Major Barriers<\/h2>\n\n

Analyses reveal four main reasons why women are less likely to use advanced artificial intelligence features.<\/p>\n\n

1. There aren\u2019t enough hours in the day\u2014the time crunch<\/h3>\n\n

Do you know what a typical day looks like for the owner of an accounting firm, a clothing boutique, or a public relations agency? The owner of a microbusiness often juggles sales, customer service, administrative tasks, and organizing childcare all at once. The promise that artificial intelligence will immediately relieve her of these responsibilities is a myth. In practice, AI initially requires time for testing, reviewing results, and adjusting procedures. Implementing new technology is an investment of hours that simply aren\u2019t available in her schedule. For this reason, a lack of time can be a more acute barrier than a lack of money.<\/p>\n\n

2. Exclusion from informal technology networks<\/h3>\n\n

Technology has long been a male-dominated field, which is reflected in everyday business relationships. The statistics are stark: women still account for about one-fifth of ICT professionals in the EU. In Poland, they make up about 18% of this group. From a business perspective, a lower presence in the tech community means fewer informal contacts, fewer recommendations for tools, and fewer people who can help implement a solution. Female entrepreneurs are less likely to have someone to ask, over a proverbial cup of coffee, \u201cWhat algorithm do you use to sort invoices?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n

3. Training that is out of touch with reality<\/h3>\n\n

The third problem is the education market, which isn\u2019t keeping pace with the unique needs of small businesses. A typical course titled \u201cDiscover the Possibilities of ChatGPT\u201d doesn\u2019t answer the questions of the owner of an accounting firm, a retail store, a professional practice, a real estate agency, or a transportation company. The businesswoman returns from such a training session with a certificate to her name. She knows the tool, but she still doesn\u2019t know which process to automate. This type of education leaves the most important questions unanswered:<\/p>\n\n