Gender Differences in Artificial Intelligence Anxiety among Chinese College Students
Abstract
The rapid diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI, has led to a widespread public concern commonly described as AI anxiety. Gender has emerged as a noteworthy factor in research attitudes toward AI, as surveys and studies demonstrate that women report higher levels of concern about AI technologies compared to men. Using a quantitative research approach, this study examines the level of AI anxiety among college and university students in China with focus on gender patterns. The results indicate that Chinese college students widely share AI anxiety with strong concerns about job replacements and socio-technical risks. Anxiety in these two dimensions is particularly high among female students, who also exhibits an overall higher level of AI anxiety. These findings support a multidimensional model of AI anxiety and the possible existence of a gender digital gap in AI. Targeted approaches should be developed to address the issue of equitable adoption of AI technology for college students in China.
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