Recognizing the pressing issue of women's lag in AI adoption, former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg has shifted the focus of her nonprofit organization, Lean In, to address the gender gap in this area. To lead this initiative, she has appointed 25-year-old Bridget Griswold, a former product manager at Meta.
Recent findings from a Lean In survey of 1,000 U.S. adults indicate that 33% of men use AI daily, while only 27% of women do so. Although the gap is narrowing, Sandberg noted that even slight disparities can have significant long-term effects. “We all know that AI is already starting to, and has the power to transform how we work, who’s in the workforce, how we live, how we communicate,” she remarked in a discussion with Fortune.
On March 24, Sandberg introduced Bridget Griswold as the new CEO of Lean In. Despite some public skepticism regarding Griswold’s age and relative lack of nonprofit experience, Sandberg emphasized that the organization sought an “AI native” with a strong product background, which Griswold provides.
This leadership transition occurs during a challenging period for Lean In, as the Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation, which oversees the organization, has reportedly reduced its staff by 25% over the past year due to layoffs and voluntary departures, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Lean In's new emphasis on AI is especially relevant given that only half of organizations prioritize women's career advancement, with more than 30% not prioritizing the advancement of women of color, as highlighted in the 2025 Women in the Workplace report. Notably, women's occupations are three times more susceptible to automation by AI, which is exacerbated by their underrepresentation in AI leadership roles and development teams.
The survey also revealed that women are more likely than men to experience feelings of being threatened, overwhelmed, or guilty when utilizing AI technologies. Furthermore, women exhibit greater hesitance to adopt AI, primarily due to concerns about ethics and accuracy.
“These concerns are important, and it's commendable that women emphasize ethics and fairness. However, it's concerning that these apprehensions might unintentionally lead to lower AI usage among women compared to men,” Griswold stated in her interview with Fortune.
The research indicated that men are 27% more likely to receive praise for their AI usage, while women are 23% less likely to obtain managerial support for engaging with the technology.
Sandberg noted, “The managers who are encouraging the men to use AI and not the women — they may not even be aware they’re doing it.” She pointed out that biases against women often arise unconsciously, and “by bringing these biases to light and informing managers that there is a disparity in encouragement based on gender, we initiate the correction process.”
Griswold joined Lean In in January as head of product and AI, and by March she succeeded longtime CEO and co-founder Rachel Thomas. She expressed that in order to achieve Lean In’s mission of increasing the representation of women in leadership, it is essential to leverage AI.
“We aspire for Lean In to serve as a resource that inspires young women to engage with AI and drive tangible outcomes,” she elaborated, highlighting her vision of fostering an environment where women can build confidence and advance their careers.
“Our focus must be on empowering the next generation of women leaders, with product and AI being crucial components of this endeavor. This is one of the many reasons why we are fortunate to have Bridget in this leadership position,” Sandberg concluded.
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