Are AI jobs driving up demand for STEM education?

This study combines data on degrees awarded across U.S. colleges and universities with data on online job vacancies to examine the impact of AI penetration in local labor markets on the demand for STEM education. The findings show that between 2014 and 2022, AI increased overall demand for STEM education across all racial groups. However, the study also reveals that AI widened the gender gap in STEM, as it drove greater demand and degree growth in male-dominated fields such as engineering, compared to fields with a higher share of female students, such as health sciences. Notably, the analysis finds that in institutions with a higher proportion of female faculty, the impact of AI on the STEM gender gap was mitigated.