Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” Women have made their marks over the past century, dominating every sector. The tech industry is no exception, where women’s contributions are not only significant but increasingly visible. Women have risen to break gender bias and shape the future of tech and AI.

The gender imbalance we often see in tech is more a reflection of old trends that haven’t been fully addressed yet rather than the industry’s true nature. Despite the tech industry still being predominantly male in many areas (particularly in leadership roles), the field of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) is an inclusive one. 

Indeed, there is a strong economic and innovation argument for increasing women’s participation in AI policy. Studies have shown that diverse teams make better decisions and produce more substantial outcomes. A world where women are included more will be a world where women shape Tech and AI more positively

Women Shaping the Future of AI and Tech

Some examples of women shaping the future of AI and tech Include:

1. Cristina Junqueira– Christina is the co-founder of Nubank, a Brazilian digital banking platform, Junqueira has revolutionized banking by offering zero-fee credit cards managed via mobile apps. Nubank has grown to over 114 million clients globally and is valued at $50 billion Since its inception in 2013. Junqueira advocates for diversity within the company, promoting women’s representation in leadership roles.
2. Carol E. Reiley- An American businesswoman and computer scientist, Reiley is a pioneer in teleoperated and autonomous robot systems used in surgery, space exploration, disaster rescue, and self-driving cars. She co-founded and served as president of Drive.ai, an AI self-driving car company, and is currently the CEO of a healthcare startup. Reiley is also a published children’s book author and was the first female engineer featured on the cover of MAKE magazine.
3. Radia Perlman- Is popularly known as “The Mother of the Internet”. Perlman invented the Spanning Tree Protocol, which is crucial for network communications. Her work has been foundational in the development of network protocols and the overall structure of the Internet.
4. Ginni Rometty- As IBM’s first female CEO, Rometty led advancements in big data, AI, and cloud computing. She also promoted diversity and inclusion within the company, paving the way for more women in leadership positions.
5. Grace Murray Hopper- Hopper developed early compilers and played a significant role in the creation of COBOL, an early programming language. Her contributions have had a lasting impact on software development and computer science.

Significant Challenges Women Face While trying to Shape Tech Positively

It is crucial to address the challenges women in tech face for a whole host of reasons. We need to break down barriers and create a future where women don’t feel judged or out of place pursuing a job in tech, where they trust in their abilities and can access opportunities to progress to the next level, and where they look around their workplace and see other women shaping tech positively.

Some of the challenges they face include gender bias, Lack of representation, pay inequality, imposter syndrome, Lack of female role models, and many more.

The Role of Education in Enabling Women Make Significant Changes

Change can be accomplished only by changing the operating systems of our institutions. Curriculums have to be taken seriously and there should be a gender approach to learning. Additional funding and establishing quotas in institutions are required in order to monitor gender equality and create a culture of success for women in STEM.

Education is a very important tool for empowering women within the tech industry. By investing in education, we close the skills gap and equip women with adequate technical know-how. Education not only instills confidence but also promotes diversity of thoughts. Through STEM education initiatives and targeted training programs, we create pathways for women to advance in their careers. This will help them break barriers and unlock their full potential in shaping the tech world positively. Ultimately, investing in education is not just an investment in individual women but in the collective future of the tech industry. Investing in education will also cultivate a workforce that is inclusive and optimized for continuous innovations.