Women in the UAE are completing Generative AI (GenAI) courses at higher rates than men, even as participation levels remain below the global average, according to new insights from Coursera, Inc. (NYSE: COUR), a leading global online learning platform.

Coursera’s latest report, “One Year Later: The Gender Gap in GenAI” suggests that once women engage in AI-focused learning, persistence and follow-through are strong. However, fewer women are entering GenAI learning pathways relative to men.

Globally, women’s participation in GenAI learning is increasing. Women represented 36% of GenAI enrollments in 2025, up from 32% in 2024. Among enterprise learners, participation rose from 36% in 2024 to 42% in 2025, reflecting accelerating adoption of AI skills.

Entry, not capability, may be the barrier

The report highlights that in several markets, including the Middle East, the primary barrier for women in GenAI learning may be entry rather than performance. In the UAE, the women’s completion rate for GenAI content is 2.4 percentage points higher than men’s, but women currently represent only 24% of GenAI enrolments in the UAE. Additionally, women’s enrolment share is declining by 1% year-on-year, indicating that the participation gap has widened.

This distinction matters. Completion rates are often viewed as a proxy for engagement and skill acquisition. Higher female completion rate suggests that when access barriers are reduced, women participate fully in advanced digital upskilling.

Course design linked to stronger participation

Beginner-friendly GenAI courses that emphasise real-world application tend to attract stronger female participation globally. For example, the introductory course in the Google AI Essentials series — designed with no prerequisites — has achieved 41.2% female enrolment and attracted more than 250,000 female learners worldwide. The course combines accessible language, practical use cases, and visible representation, including a female instructor prominently featured throughout.

Across the platform, application-driven GenAI courses in areas such as education, productivity tools, and workplace integration have seen female participation approach parity in some cases. These courses present GenAI as a practical tool for productivity and problem-solving rather than abstract technical theory, often linking AI tools to goals learners care about, such as improving teaching, writing, or creative work.

The findings suggest that when AI skills are framed as practical, accessible, and directly tied to career relevance, participation broadens.

Dr. Alexandra Urban, Learning Science Research Lead at Coursera, said: “Across our data, we see a clear pattern: when women in the UAE gain access to GenAI learning, they not only keep pace with men — they often outperform them in completing courses. This tells us the issue is not capability or motivation, but access and opportunity. Closing the gap means making GenAI relevant to real jobs, easy to start, and visibly welcoming to women at every stage of their careers. If those conditions are in place, the UAE has an enormous pool of motivated and resilient women ready to help shape the country’s AI-powered future.”

Implications for the UAE’s digital workforce

As the UAE continues advancing its ambitions in AI and digital transformation, expanding women’s participation in GenAI learning could play an important role in strengthening workforce readiness.

The report outlines several approaches that can support more inclusive participation, including:

● Designing beginner-level courses with clear real-world applications

● Ensuring visible representation and inclusive pedagogy

● Expanding access through localisation and partnerships

● Pairing GenAI skills with complementary human capabilities, such as Critical Thinking

One year after Coursera’s initial “Closing the Gender Gap in GenAI Skills” playbook, the global picture shows measurable progress. While disparities remain in some markets, the data indicates that where enabling conditions are in place, women are enrolling, persisting, and succeeding at higher rates. In the UAE, the completion advantage among women signals strong potential. The challenge now may lie less in capability and more in widening pathways to entry.