A survey conducted by Harvard researchers involving over 5,400 Americans found that 73 percent of male respondents recognized OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, while 53 percent were aware of former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati and fictional figures Susan Milner and Craig Dalton. The survey highlighted a trend where men exhibited greater confidence in their knowledge of artificial intelligence compared to women. Laura Manley, executive director of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center, noted that men tend to be more optimistic and confident about AI, which sometimes leads to overconfidence, such as claiming familiarity with non-existent individuals.
The report, published on October 14, 2026, indicated that while men use AI more frequently and generally answer factual questions about AI correctly, both genders make incorrect responses at similar rates. Women reported uncertainty more often, averaging 3.3 uncertain answers out of 12 questions compared to 2.3 for men. The researchers also examined media coverage of AI, finding that men were mentioned in headlines over 14 times more frequently than women. Furthermore, 75 percent of quoted AI experts in the media were men, despite women representing about 29 percent of the AI talent pool.
Despite these disparities, both men and women expressed concern about AI, with women reporting higher levels of fear and worry. Men, however, rated positive feelings such as curiosity and excitement more highly than women. Manley emphasized the need for more voices expressing uncertainty in discussions about AI, stating, "We have to be able to say ‘not sure’ more often."