Findings highlight strong persistence among women learners and the need to expand inclusive AI education
Coursera, Inc. (NYSE: COUR), a leading global online learning platform, released its latest report, “One Year Later: The Gender Gap in GenAI,” revealing 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.
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 – rather than capability or motivation – may be the primary barrier, reinforcing the need to lower entry barriers and expand access to AI learning pathways.
The Philippines has long been recognized as one of Asia’s leaders in gender equality. According to the World Economic ForumGlobal Gender Gap Report 2025 the country ranks 20th globally, reflecting strong progress in women’s 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’s growing digital economy.
Course design linked to stronger participation
Beginner-friendly GenAI courses that emphasise real-world application tend to attract stronger female participation globally. For example, the course on Social Media Management by Meta – has achieved 65.4% female enrollment in the Philippines.
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.
“The future of AI will be shaped by the diversity of the people building and using it,” said Dr. Alexandra Urban, Learning Science Research Lead at Coursera. “Our 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.”
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.
Implications for the Philippines’ digital workforce
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:
- Designing beginner-level courses with clear real-world applications
- Ensuring visible representation and inclusive pedagogy
- Expanding access through localisation and partnerships
- Pairing GenAI skills with complementary human capabilities, such as Critical Thinking
A year after Coursera’s initial “Closing the Gender Gap in GenAI Skills” playbook, the latest data shows encouraging progress – but also a clear opportunity to accelerate change. Philippines' rise in women participation, combined with stronger completion rates among, signals growing momentum. As AI continues reshaping industries and careers, expanding access to AI learning opportunities will be key to ensuring women are not just participants in the AI revolution, but leaders helping shape its future.
Top 10 courses in the Philippines by share of female enrollment
Course Name | % of Enrollments by Female Learners |
Social Media Management from Meta | 65.4% |
Digital Marketing: Platforms, Data, and Technologies from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign | 62.8% |
Digital Marketing: Customer from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign | 61.7% |
AI in Education: Leveraging ChatGPT for Teaching from Wharton + OpenAI | 58% |
Innovative Teaching with ChatGPT from Vanderbilt University | 56% |
Design Fundamentals with AI from Adobe | 52.4% |
Satisfaction Guaranteed: Develop Customer Loyalty Online from Google | 51.7% |
Introduction to Data Analytics from IBM | 51% |
Google AI Essentials from Google | 44.6% |
Design a User Experience for Social Good & Prepare for Jobs from Google | 44.1% |