Nearly Half of Women Concerned About Backlash From AI Use At Work, New Data Finds

As Monday Girl gears up for its annual Toronto Summit on March 28, the 2026 Women and AI in the Workplace Report finds that Canadian women are approaching AI with caution, reporting lower confidence and higher anxiety than men

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New research from North America’s leading digital networking platform, Monday Girl, reveals that while 64% of Canadians used AI in the past year, women are significantly more likely than men to worry about potential negative consequences at work, with 46% expressing concern compared with 40% of men. The report also finds a notable gender confidence gap: only 36% of women feel confident using AI tools, compared with 52% of men.

The 2026 Women and AI in the Workplace Report also reveals:

• Six in ten Canadians report using AI in the past year (64%), with men using it more than women (68% vs. 61%).
• Of those who use AI in their jobs, over 4 in 10 women are concerned about facing negative consequences from using AI (46%), versus only 40% of men.
  • Even greater concern exists among Gen Z (53%).
• Only 36% of women feel confident using AI tools, and 39% feel comfortable, compared with 52% and 53% of men, respectively.
  • Confidence declines among Canadians over 55+ (30%, 35%).
• 47% of women feel intimidated by AI tools, versus only 33% of males.
• 45% of women feel confused when using AI tools, versus only 37% of males.

The findings show that women approach technology in the workplace differently than men and point to the need for better support, training, and resources to help everyone feel confident using new technology.

Monday Girl Summit 2026
As part of its commitment to helping women build successful careers and make strong connections, Monday Girl is excited to bring back its annual Toronto Summit on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the Fairmont Royal York.

The highly anticipated event sold out in minutes last year, as did the New York and San Francisco Summits. Now in its 6th year, the Toronto Summit will be larger than ever before, bringing together over 800 ambitious women in business, AI, fashion, media, and finance, doubling last year’s event. The Toronto Summit is an exclusive, action-packed day of insightful fireside chats, exciting keynotes, networking socials, and career-changing connections.

A dynamic lineup of speakers is set to hit the stage this year, including: Hannah Bronfman, Author, Investor, Influencer & On-Camera Personality; Sasha Exeter, Content Creator, Host, Speaker, Creative Director; Caitriona Geoghagan, Vice-President, Head of Revenue Growth, Commercial & Private Banking, 1859 of National Bank; Erin Elofson, President of Mastercard Canada; Nicole Macintyre and Laura deCarufel of the Toronto Star + The Kit; Lisa Everett, National AI Skills Director (Canada), Microsoft Elevate; Taran Ghatrora, CEO & Co-Founder of BLUME; Ally Zeifman - Mamalider, President & Founder of Organic Traditions; and more.

“Women aren't lacking ability; they're lacking access. Access to tools, training, and environments where they're encouraged to experiment and take risks. These findings confirm what we've heard from our community for years,” said Rachel Wong and Istiana Bestari, co-founders of Monday Girl. “We built Monday Girl because we needed it ourselves, and the Toronto Summit exists for the same reason. It's where the conversation gets real, the connections stick, and women leave genuinely better equipped to go after what they want.”

This year’s summit sponsors include: National Bank, Platinum Sponsor; Mastercard Canada, Female Founder Marketplace Sponsor; Fairmont Royal York, Venue and Premium Sponsor; Toronto Star, Media Sponsor; and more.

For more on Monday Girl and the upcoming summit, visit joinmondaygirl.com.

Media can apply for accreditation by contacting [e-mail] by Tuesday, March 24.

About Monday Girl
Monday Girl is a career networking platform dedicated to helping women build successful and fulfilling careers. Through exclusive mentorship programs, curated networking events, and expert-led career resources, Monday Girl connects ambitious women across North America with the support they need to thrive in their professional journeys. With a growing community of members across industries, Monday Girl is committed to fostering an inclusive and empowering space for career-driven women.

Methodology
These findings are from a survey conducted by Monday Girl from February 24th to February 26th, 2026, among a representative sample of 1502 online adult Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.