Why Not Using AI Is Holding Women-Owned Businesses Back
12/1/2025 5:02:08 AM
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is a powerhouse reshaping how businesses operate, grow, and compete. From automating routine tasks to generating marketing content and analyzing customer data, AI has the potential to help entrepreneurs work smarter and more efficiently. But while AI adoption is accelerating, women business owners are falling behind, and the gap in AI adoption could end up costing them in the long term. Programs like the Kearny Bank Changemakers Program aim to resolve this by providing support and resources to female business owners in our local community.
Why Women Entrepreneurs Hesitate to Adopt AI
Women often approach new technologies with more caution than others, especially when guidelines are unclear or concerns about fairness and bias arise. These thoughtful hesitations around emerging technology deserve attention, but not dismissal. By addressing concerns openly, we can create a more inclusive and responsible tech landscape.
Recent data shows that for every 100 men using generative AI tools like ChatGPT, only 78 women are doing the same. Despite equal access to technology, many female entrepreneurs often feel uncertain about using AI in their businesses due to a combination of ethical concerns, confidence gaps, and workplace biases. A recent study by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University revealed a bias called the “competence penalty,” where employees using AI tools were perceived as being less capable regardless of their actual performance. For women entrepreneurs, this perception can be especially damaging, further discouraging AI adoption and reinforcing outdated stereotypes about women in the workplace. As a result, many women miss out on tools that could drive efficiency, innovation, and growth.
The Economic Impact: Why AI Matters for Women Entrepreneurs
Closing the AI adoption gap is essential to ensuring women-owned businesses thrive in the growing digital economy. AI has the potential to boost U.S. productivity by over 20% in the next decade, but only if all business owners are part of the progress. When women entrepreneurs embrace AI and digital transformation, they don’t just advance their businesses; they contribute to the growth and prosperity of their communities and the broader economy. By adopting AI, women-owned businesses can streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and tap into new revenue streams, which leads to greater economic inclusion, allowing women to play a more significant role in driving innovation across industries. As more women-led businesses succeed, the ripple effect strengthens the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem, creating more opportunities for future generations of women leaders.
Kearny Bank's Commitment to Women Entrepreneurs
At Kearny Bank, we’re not just investing in innovation, we’re investing in people and supporting visionaries. Women are a critical part of the next generation of business leadership. Through our Kearny Bank Changemakers Program, we are committed to helping women entrepreneurs embrace digital transformation. We provide education, mentorship, and financial guidance tailored to real-world business needs.
If you're a woman entrepreneur ready to explore how AI and financial strategy can work together to grow your business, contact us now. Together, we can turn possibility into progress.
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