Pillar 01
The Entry Point
How did you get here, and what almost stopped you?
80%
already use AI regularly or describe themselves as confident with it
75%taught themselves
63%figure it out on their own when they want to learn more
Enilram Creative Solutions™ | Women & AI Research 2026
Preliminary FindingsGet Equipped: The State of AI Literacy Among Women & Underrepresented Entrepreneurs
A first look at what women entrepreneurs told us about learning, using and leading with AI.
51
Survey responses
2
Focus group conversations
10
Focus group participants
Oct 30
Full report release
What we are seeing so far. The women in this research are not waiting on the sidelines of AI. They are using it, teaching it, and building with it. What they do not yet have is the recognition, the guidance, or the seat at the table to match. Here is the early picture, organized around the three questions that shaped the research.
Pillar 02
The Disconnect
You are learning, so why don't you feel like an expert yet?
84%
have taught or shared what they know about AI with someone else
6%say women have a strong voice in AI decision-making
61%say women are absent or still have a long way to go
Pillar 03
The Path Forward
What would actually change things?
37%
name cost as their single biggest barrier to learning and using AI
53%want affordable tools
53%want a coach who understands their business
84%
are already teaching AI to the people around them
These are the same women.
6%
believe women have a strong voice where AI decisions get made
The number we are still working out
AI is giving women their time back. It is not yet paying them for it.
78%
say AI saves them time
14%
report revenue or client growth
Most respondents also say AI lets them do work they could not afford to outsource (59%) and makes them more confident (47%). So why is so little of that showing up as income? The focus group conversations point to an answer, and it is not what we expected. The full report explains it.
What we heard in the room
Early themes from the focus groups
People learn AI from people.
When participants described how they got started, they named a person, a community, or a live event. Not a tool, an article, or an ad.
Teaching is not the same as claiming.
Women who were already teaching AI to others were reluctant to call themselves experts, and could explain exactly why.
The governance questions came up on their own.
Without being asked, participants raised who gets consulted about AI in their communities, what these systems learn about women, and whether results are reliable or only fast.
What would help most
Moving from learning AI to leading with it
Affordable tools53%
A coach who understands my business53%
A clear, structured learning path49%
A community of women on the same journey47%
A credential or certification39%
Real examples of women using AI39%
Top barriers
Cost 37% · Time 33% · Not knowing where to start 24% · Worried about getting it wrong 24%
About these findings
These are preliminary results from 51 survey responses and two recorded focus group conversations with 10 participants, conducted in 2026 by Enilram Creative Solutions. Respondents chose to take part and were reached through our community, partner networks and social media, so they reflect this community rather than a representative sample of all women entrepreneurs. Percentages are based on all 51 respondents. Several questions allowed more than one answer, so some totals exceed 100%. All figures are still being verified and may shift slightly in the final report.
How we used AI. AI tools helped us tabulate the survey responses, identify themes across the focus group conversations, and draft and design this preview. Survey data was analyzed without names or contact information. Every figure and theme was reviewed by our team, and the full report will include a complete statement on how AI was used in this research.
The full research report is coming. You will get it first.
Does anything here not match your experience? Is something missing? Write to hello@enilramcreative.com. Your feedback can still shape the final report.
Oct 30
Release