Project description

Artificial intelligence (AI) is regarded as a key technology in Germany’s high-tech agenda – but how exactly is it changing our everyday lives? The GEN-AI project investigates how AI, together with demographic change and new gender roles, is transforming labour markets, family life and social policy. Who uses AI in the workplace, how do they use it, and why do there differ between the sexes? What risks does this pose for employment, well-being and families – but also for the financing of the welfare state? How can social policy counteract these effects to ensure opportunities are distributed fairly? The findings of the GEN-AI project will inform specific recommendations for social policy action – for example, regarding further education, labour market regulations and childcare – in order to strengthen gender equality and ensure the welfare state is fit for the future.

The GEN-AI project examines three key dimensions:

Selective implementation of AI: AI is not spreading evenly, but selectively – across occupations, sectors and skill levels. This results in significant differences in AI exposure, i.e. the extent to which individual groups of workers actually come into contact with AI applications.

Multidimensional and cumulative consequences of inequality: The consequences extend beyond employment and income; they also affect job quality, autonomy, opportunities for upskilling and social security. Of particular relevance here are mechanisms of inequality that reinforce one another at the individual, workplace and family levels and can accumulate for certain groups.

Household-related and intergenerational spillover effects: AI affects not only workers who are directly exposed to it, but also has an impact on partnerships, the division of care work, household resources and the well-being of children. In this way, AI alters existing inequalities both within households and across generations.

Approach

GEN-AI combines an interdisciplinary perspective drawing on sociology, economics and population studies with a broad repertoire of quantitative methods. The research is based on various cross-sectional and longitudinal data sets (SOEP, FReDA, NEPS, EWCS, BIBB/BAuA, IAB-BP). In addition, methods from computational social science are used to extract the demand for AI skills from job advertisements and link this to the aforementioned data sources. Furthermore, the project is developing new survey instruments to investigate aspects of AI use and its consequences that have not yet been captured.

Team

Prof. Wiebke Schulz (University of Bremen)
Prof. Gundula Zoch (University of Oldenburg)
Dr Mathias Huebener (BIB Federal Institute for Population Research)
Timon Dombrowski (Doctoral Researcher, University of Oldenburg)
N.N. (Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Bremen)
N.N. (doctoral researcher, BIB)

Publications

GEN-AI commenced its work in September 2026. Publications will be added here as the project progresses.

Duration: 1 September 2026 – 31 December 2030
Financing: Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)