Generative AI courses in Saudi Arabia are being completed by women at a rate approximately 10 percentage points higher than men, according to new data published by Coursera on March 8, 2026. The findings come from a report titled “One Year On: The Gender Gap in Generative AI.”
Enrollment vs. Completion: Where the Gap Lies
Women currently represent 27% of generative AI course enrollments in Saudi Arabia, with that share growing at roughly 0.4% annually. However, the report notes that the primary gap in the Kingdom appears at the enrollment stage, not at completion. Once women join generative AI learning programs, they demonstrate strong engagement and persistence.
Generative AI Courses Show Global Enrollment Gains for Women
Globally, women accounted for 36% of generative AI course enrollments in 2025, up from 32% in 2024. Among enterprise learners specifically, female participation rose from 36% in 2024 to 42% in 2025. Moreover, this trend reflects a broader acceleration in AI skills adoption across organizations worldwide.
Course Design Influences Participation Rates
The report indicates that beginner-level, application-focused generative AI courses tend to attract stronger female participation globally. Google’s introductory course within its AI Essentials series, which carries no prerequisites, recorded a 41.2% female enrollment rate and attracted more than 250,000 women learners worldwide. The course combines accessible language, practical use cases, and visible representation, including a prominent female instructor throughout.
“Women completing courses at rates 10 percentage points higher than men shows their interest in AI is not just curiosity — it reflects a genuine commitment to building these skills. The opportunity now is to expand access. We need to make it easier to start learning generative AI, connect it clearly to real career pathways, and make it inclusive for women at every stage. If institutions in Saudi Arabia can match women’s strong completion rates with comparable enrollment rates, they can unlock significant AI capability — supporting the Kingdom’s digital future.”
Dr. Alexandra Urban, Head of Learning Science Research, Coursera
Implications for Saudi Vision 2030 and the Digital Workforce
As Saudi Arabia pursues its digital transformation goals under Vision 2030, expanding women’s participation in generative AI learning programs carries strategic importance. The report suggests that improving access to beginner-level AI courses could translate strong completion outcomes into broader participation across AI-related fields.
One year after Coursera published its guide on closing the gender gap in generative AI skills, global data shows measurable progress. Gaps persist in several markets, yet the data indicates that where conditions are favorable, women enroll, persist, and succeed at higher rates. In Saudi Arabia, enrollment disparities remain, but course completion data points to strong female engagement once learning begins.
