E60: Is AI Helping Women Advance or Holding Them Back?
- Chris McLellan

- Sep 6
- 3 min read
As artificial intelligence reshapes the workplace, Growclass founder and CEO Sarah Stockdale joins Ask AI to discuss why women are adopting AI more slowly than men, what that means for the future of work, and how programs like AI Skills Lab Canada are helping underrepresented professionals gain confidence and advance with these tools.
Episode At A Glance
In this episode of the Ask AI Podcast, host Elena Putilina sits down with Sarah Stockdale, founder and CEO of Growclass, an award-winning growth marketing certification and AI training platform.
Sarah is also the co-lead of AI Skills Lab Canada, a first-of-its-kind program helping women, non-binary, and trans-femme founders build practical, values-aligned AI strategies for their businesses.
The conversation dives into the growing AI adoption gap between men and women, why women’s jobs are statistically more vulnerable to automation, and how confidence, training, and employer support can change the trajectory of careers.
Sarah shares early results from the AI Skills Lab pilot and explains how accessible, ethical AI education can empower underrepresented professionals to work smarter, move faster, and build resilience in the face of rapid technological change.
Tune in to learn why inclusive adoption strategies matter, what’s at stake if gaps continue to widen, and how women entrepreneurs are already using AI to grow their businesses on their own terms.
Dowload or Stream This Episode
What You'll Hear
Why women are adopting AI at a slower pace than men and what that means for the future of work
How women's jobs in administration marketing and customer support are especially vulnerable to automation
The role of confidence, risk taking, and employer support in shaping AI adoption
Early results from the AI Skills Lab Canada pilot and how it is helping founders build practical AI strategies
Why inclusive training and community programs are key to closing the AI adoption gap
Episode Links
Visit Growclass at growclass.co
Connect with Sara Stockdale on LinkedIn
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