# European study finds 10% lower reward for female AI assistant

- Published: 2026-10-18T06:00:08.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-18T10:01:29.163Z
- Section: Models
- Topics: Society, Research
- Page: https://aidailyjournal.com/en/n/2026/10/18/european-study-finds-10-lower-reward-for-female-ai-assistant/
- Sources: [Xataka](https://xataka.com/robotica-e-ia/decimos-que-genero-ia-nos-da-igual-que-llega-momento-pagarle)

## Summary

A study by researchers at European universities examined how the perceived gender of AI assistants influences trust and financial rewards. In virtual reality, 189 participants interacted with a text chatbot, a desktop robot and one of two human-looking avatars—Johan or Johanna—all using OpenAI’s GPT-4. After the task, they could distribute up to four Swiss francs to each assistant. The male and female AIs received similar ratings for their professional contribution, but Johanna received 10% less money than Johan; the difference was larger among male participants. Human-looking avatars also generated more trust and higher rewards than the robot. According to UNESCO data cited by Xataka, women hold 20% of technical jobs and 12% of AI research positions, while language models reproduce gender stereotypes.

## Why it matters (editorial interpretation)

The result suggests that an assistant’s appearance and perceived gender can influence trust and rewards even when its professional contribution receives similar ratings. This may matter to teams designing assistant interactions and assessing potential effects of stereotypes.

_Summary written by AI Daily Journal in its own words, based on the sources above. For details, read the original articles._