"Even with AI, We Still Have to Work Harder": Black Women’s Use of Generative AI in the Workplace

Abstract

As generative AI (GenAI) technologies become increasingly integrated into professional settings, it is critical to understand how these tools are experienced by individuals who are more likely to encounter harm, violence, and trauma in the workplace. Black women, in particular, continue to face systemic discrimination in hiring, promotion, and everyday interactions within predominantly white work environments. In this paper, we center the voices of 21 Black women working in the U.S. tech sector to explore how they engage with GenAI technologies to navigate workplace dynamics. Drawing on Black feminist epistemologies, our findings suggest that these women use GenAI as survival tools that help them manage hostile work environments and negotiate complex social interactions. GenAI supports their communication strategies, enhances productivity, and bolsters their efforts in responding to workplace discrimination rooted in misogynoir, the distinct, intersecting form of racism and sexism that specifically targets Black women. At the same time, these tools also reinforce existing power structures and do not address the fundamental need for Black women to show up as their full, authentic selves. We conclude by outlining Black feminist–informed directions that center resistance, survival, and collective world-building beyond hostile tech workplaces.