Future tech for women's empowerment

A study by the Berkeley Haas Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership analysed 133 Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems across different industries and revealed that about 44% of them have gender bias. Where does this come from? From human-biases because AI systems are human creations. Gender bias in AI starts with prioritising gender equality as a goal, as AI systems are conceptualised and built. Currently, there are only 30% women working in AI as per the Global Gender Gap Report of 2023.

The gender-bias has an impact on the assessment of data for misrepresentation, provides data that is representative of diverse gender experiences, reshaping the teams developing AI to make them more diverse and inclusive. As per a prediction by the World Economic Forum, AI may replace around 85 million jobs by 2025, but it will also create close to 97 million new roles. Undoubtedly, AI presents a significant potential to be an equaliser in the tech industry by facilitating unbiased hiring practices and opening remote and flexible work opportunities.

First things first, why do we need women in AI? Here are some reasons why:

• Diversity drives innovation and will be instrumental in solving critical problems with diverse viewpoints. Further, it helps if the communities/fraternities can represent themselves instead of others approximating on their behalf
• Women are considered more visionary and hence, might offer a depth in perspectives.
• It will help keep the entrenching bias and bad behaviour of AI systems at bay.
• Women i.e. the other half of the population advancing in the world of tech industry will help in minimising the gender gap.
• Women can significantly contribute to the talent pool of skilled professionals

Here are some ways that would help women to not just survive, but thrive in the AI industry:

• Upskilling and reskilling: To remain competitive in today's workforce, developing new skills is crucial. Upskilling and reskilling open doors to career advancement, job stability, and higher earning potential. For women, these initiatives should encompass practical AI experience, knowledge of AI's workings, and strategies to harness its benefits. By investing in education and training programs focused on emerging industries and technologies, women can acquire the necessary skills to stay relevant, competitive and seamlessly transition into roles that might tap their talents and expertise optimally.
• Fostering human skills: The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report highlighted the top leadership competencies for 2024, with a strong emphasis on power skills in which women naturally excel. Although AI technology is vital, organisations continue to rely significantly on human skills such as creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Women bring distinctive abilities, fresh perspectives and adapt to leadership roles easily. Skills like communication, collaboration, adaptability, and emotional intelligence come in handy for women to effectively engage with AI innovation. Women can harness these power skills by amalgamating AI-intel and help steer the organisation in a direction that is inclusive, ethical, and beneficial for everyone.
• Gender-inclusive AI development: AI systems have the potential to mirror and even magnify societal biases present in the data they are trained on. Incorporating diverse perspectives, experiences, and voices in AI development leads to more gender-inclusive solutions that better address the needs and concerns of all genders. Actively involving women in the development of AI solutions is crucial for reducing bias. To achieve unbiased outcomes, organizations must ensure that AI datasets accurately and equitably represent women.
• Prioritising innovation and connecting to the flow of work: Allocating time for innovation and AI learning is crucial for fostering development and growth. This will also prove to be a strategic investment that promises substantial long-term benefits, including improved business outcomes and the promotion of continuous improvement and future readiness. This proactive strategy not only enhances the workforce's skills, establishing a routine to being abreast with new practices and industry developments, but also equips the company to adapt to the evolving technological advancements. Tying new skill development to business goals boosts employee engagement and loyalty, creating a win-win scenario.
• Establishing support networks and mentorship programmes: Robust networks are crucial for promoting women's participation in AI. These networks offer support, opportunities, and relevant resources, serving as the essential bridge to tapping more job opportunities, mentorship programmes, training, and AI-focused industry events. With these connections, women can gain valuable industry insights and become part of a supportive professional community. Mentors and coaches provide guidance, share experiences, and offer encouragement, helping women confidently advance in their AI careers.

The benefits are many. Even then, only 40% of women actively utilise AI in their professional roles, while 63% report a lack of AI skills and training as per Skillsoft’s 2024 Women in Tech Report. But, if we close this gap, there are diverse ways AI can support women entrepreneurship. Some of the options are women pursuing a role as researchers, data scientists, engineers, advisory capacities in ethical AI, and product managers.

In nutshell, the need is for more of women representation in AI related fields and jobs and to overcome that we must encourage & present opportunities for women and girls in STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics— education and training. This would just be instrumental in negating the gender imbalance in help us all to move towards seismic opportunities.

This article is authored by Ranjini Chakraborty, people leader, Giesecke+ Devrient, India