What do women really think about AI and work?
About this opportunity
The opportunity:
We are inviting you to take part in research exploring how AI is affecting – or might affect – women's working lives. You don’t need to use or understand AI to participate. We want to hear from enthusiasts, sceptics and everyone in between.
Why now, and why Somerset?:
Cosmic CIC (https://www.cosmic.org.uk/), have been working to empower people and organisations in Somerset and Devon with digital skills for a number of years. They commissioned Dr Sam Evans to undertake this research because there is growing evidence that women may be disproportionately affected by the reshaping of jobs by AI and this could lead to increased inequity. In order to build the right types of training programmes and support they want to understand the experiences and views of women based in Somerset and Devon.
What we hope to learn, understand, or achieve:
We are interested in the roles particularly susceptible to reshaping by AI, such as administrative, coordination, customer service and business support roles, where women are strongly represented. We want to know what affects women’s willingness to engage with it: whether it feels relevant and useful, levels of confidence and familiarity, concerns around issues such as privacy, bias, misinformation, employment or environmental impact, and how AI may affect professional skills, identity and the human side of work.
Ways to get involved:
What organisations might gain from being involved:
We have a small £20 stipend for participating in the Interviews and any sensemaking workshops
You would help inform how future training programmes are developed for women and AI in Somerset
Introduction to the project lead
Name:
Samantha Evans`
Organisation:
Edventure Frome
I am a community/ applied researcher interested in researching and using information and data to solve real world problems at a local level. I run a number of community organisations and like to develop programmes that are evidence informed
What involvement might look like
What we are asking organisations to do:
We want to hear from women with all levels of experience, including those who have never used AI or who are unsure whether they want to. There are two ways to contribute:
Help us with a short online survey by following the link below: https://forms.gle/axTM1T1MZqafGjfq5
OR
Volunteer for a 45–60 minute research interview or be part of a discussion group by providing your details in the form below: https://forms.gle/fJ4itv9TPUi7kUpV8
How much time is likely to be involved:
The survey takes about 12 mins
The interview takes about 45 mins and will be conducted online
How we are making it easy to be involved:
We recognise that not everyone likes or is able to use digital tools. We could talk through the survey on a phone call and input your answers. We could do the interview in person if you live in or near Frome. We can send you the interview questions and you could provide answers through voice notes. Chat to Sam about how we could adapt the process for you
What can be shaped and what is fixed:
All responses are confidential.
You can withdrawl from the study at any time up to the point that the report is finalised
We may ask participants if they would like to be involved in a sensemaking workshop in Jan 2027 when all the data is collated and we can feedback on what we have found
Delivery timeframes:
The survey closes 26th Oct and the interviews should be finished by the first week of Nov