{"id":73516,"date":"2026-03-20T07:31:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T23:31:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/?p=73516"},"modified":"2026-03-18T13:33:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T05:33:40","slug":"filipino-women-learners-complete-genai-courses-at-rates-0-3-higher-than-men-coursera-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.upgrademag.com\/web\/2026\/03\/20\/filipino-women-learners-complete-genai-courses-at-rates-0-3-higher-than-men-coursera-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Filipino women learners complete GenAI courses at rates 0.3% higher than men: Coursera report"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coursera, Inc. released its latest report, \u201c<\/i>One Year Later: The Gender Gap in GenAI<\/i><\/a>,\u201d<\/i>\u00a0revealing that Filipino women are completing GenAI courses at 0.3% higher rates than men, even as they remain underrepresented in GenAI learning. The findings highlight steady persistence among women learners once they gain access to high-quality learning opportunities.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The report also finds that women accounted for 39.1% of GenAI course enrollments in the Philippines in 2025, up from 38.4% in 2024, a 0.8 percentage-point increase YoY. While the gender gap persists, the higher completion rates suggest that access \u2013 rather than capability or motivation \u2013 may be the primary barrier, reinforcing the need to lower entry barriers and expand access to AI learning pathways.<\/p>\n

The Philippines has long been recognized as one of Asia\u2019s leaders in gender equality. According to the\u00a0World Economic ForumGlobal Gender Gap Report 2025<\/a>\u00a0the country ranks 20th globally, reflecting strong progress in women\u2019s education and economic participation. As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence reshape industries and jobs, expanding access to these skills will be critical to ensure women keep pace and can fully participate in the country\u2019s growing digital economy.<\/p>\n

Course design linked to stronger participation<\/b><\/p>\n

Beginner-friendly GenAI courses that emphasise real-world application tend to attract stronger female participation globally. For example, the course on\u00a0Social Media Management<\/a>\u00a0by Meta \u2013 has achieved 65.4% female enrollment in the Philippines.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe future of AI will be shaped by the diversity of the people building and using it,\u201d said\u00a0Dr. Alexandra Urban, Learning Science Research Lead at Coursera.\u00a0\u201cOur data show that when Filipino women gain access to GenAI learning opportunities, they demonstrate strong persistence and commitment to mastering these skills. The Philippines has an enormous pool of motivated women, and expanding access to GenAI education will be key to unlocking the country’s full talent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyond GenAI, there is also a strong momentum among female learners to upskill themselves in human skills such as Critical Thinking. Women account for 46.5% for critical thinking enrollments in the Philippines, reflecting that they are actively building the combined technical and human skillsets required to use GenAI effectively and responsibly.<\/p>\n

Implications for the Philippines\u2019 digital workforce<\/b><\/p>\n

As the Philippines advances its ambitions in digital and AI transformation, expanding equitable access to AI education will be critical to building a diverse and future-ready workforce. The report outlines several approaches that can support more inclusive participation, including:<\/p>\n