Archive · 7 Oct 2026
Study Finds Female AI Agents Received Less Workplace Pay
Researchers asked 189 people to work with AI helpers in a virtual office.
After the tasks, participants could decide how much money to give themselves and the helpers.
Some helpers looked female, and others looked male.
The female-looking helpers received 10.25 percent less money on average.
Both kinds of helpers used the same technology and did the same tasks.
Participants said gender did not affect their decisions.
The researchers said the results suggest that familiar workplace biases might also affect how people treat AI.
They warned that choices about how AI looks could encourage unfair treatment.
A University of Limerick study placed 189 people in a virtual reality office to work with AI assistants.
Participants received money to divide between themselves and the AI agents after completing tasks.
Female-presenting agents received 10.25 percent less money than male-presenting agents.
The agents used the same underlying technology and completed the same tasks.
Co-author Dr Mary Hausfeld said workplace AI design should be considered carefully to avoid reproducing existing inequalities.
- Who
- Researchers from the University of Limerick studied 189 participants; Dr Mary Hausfeld co-authored the study.
- What
- The study found that female-presenting AI assistants received 10.25 percent less money than male-presenting assistants.
- Where
- A virtual reality office.
- Why
- The study examined how AI assistants' design relates to trust and monetary reward at work.
Study findings
Participants' explanation
Whether gender influenced rewards
Study findings
The researchers found that female-presenting AI agents received less money, and said the pattern may reflect gender bias.
Participants' explanation
When asked about the pay difference, participants said gender was irrelevant.
- Study title
- “Human-Like and Male? How AI Assistant Design Relates to Trust and Monetary Reward at Work in VR”
- Participants
- 189 people
- Setting
- A virtual reality office
- Pay difference
- Female-presenting agents received 10.25 percent less money than male-presenting agents.
- Task and technology
- The agents used the same underlying technology and completed the same tasks.
- Co-author
- Dr Mary Hausfeld of the University of Limerick's Kemmy Business School