Perceptions of Employability with AI Skills

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making AI proficiency a key factor in hiring and career advancement. By late 2023, 75% of knowledge workers integrated AI into their workflows, with 92% reporting increased productivity and creativity (Kimbrough, 2024). Employers are adapting—66% prefer candidates with AI expertise, and 77% consider AI skills essential for career growth (Microsoft & LinkedIn, 2024). However, hiring biases related to AI-skilled applicants remain underexplored, particularly concerning gender disparities in employability perceptions. This study examines how AI-related skills influence perceived employability and whether these perceptions vary based on applicant gender. Specifically, it explores whether AI-skilled female applicants receive higher employability ratings than their male counterparts and examines how perceptions of competency, job readiness, and innovation contribute to these assessments. Additionally, it investigates whether these factors influence employability differently for male and female applicants. Using a between-subjects design, working professionals and upper-level undergraduates evaluated one of four fictional résumés, varying by applicant gender (male vs. female) and skill type (AI-related vs. non-AI technical skills). Participants completed surveys assessing job-related perceptions, AI familiarity, AI attitudes, Big-5 personality traits, and AI ethics. Data is still being collected and cleaned. Employability ratings will be analyzed using multiple linear regression and t-test analyses. Findings are expected to reveal whether AI-skilled female applicants receive higher employability ratings than males and whether job-related perceptions such as competency, job readiness, and innovation differentially impact male and female candidates.