The Future of Women In AI

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February 21, 2024

4 min read

With the rise of AI technology, I have been wondering why more women have not been featured in this movement. According to the UK Parliament of Science and Technology, women and young people are most likely to work in jobs that are at high risk of being automated. Occupations with the lowest possibility of automation are higher educators and medical practitioners.

Research has revealed that women are most likely to lose their positions due to AI automation and only 3% of VC-funded AI start-ups are being founded by women, according to the Turing Institute. These statistics raise questions about gender diversity in AI-focused investment in the UK. That has led me to wonder - how can we dismantle systemic barriers to create a more inclusive and innovative landscape in AI technology?

‍Louise Clayton, the Managing Director of Talk Think Do, has spent nearly two decades working in software development and said to Verdict, ‘The gender split has certainly changed over the past 18 years, but it still firmly remains male-dominated. The tech sector is made up of over 70% of men, and I personally face sexism (conscious or unconscious) on a regular basis. I know how to spot it and how to deal with it now, and thankfully the majority of those in the tech sector embrace egalitarian principles.’

These conscious and unconscious biases are obstacles women face in finding a role in the tech industry. Many positions have required applicants to have a degree in STEM, preferably a doctorate, yet women only make up 35% of all STEM higher educational students (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), according to a 2022 UCAS survey. The good news is that this percentage is on the rise, however, women make up only 24% of STEM workers.

‍Rashik Parmar MBE, the Chief Executive of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT has stated, ‘Teenagers in the UK know that AI will change the world forever, it shouldn’t surprise us to see this soaring demand for computing degrees. AI is already reshaping how cancer is diagnosed, how we tackle climate change, how we work and how we communicate. The thousands of young men and women applying for computing through UCAS do so because they want a say in this future. Ethics and diversity are vital in AI, and we want people from every background to know that the tech profession needs them.’

In response to the hurdles faced by women in the AI and the tech industry, non-profit initiatives are working towards greater inclusivity.

Empowering Female Voices Through Global Initiatives

Women in AI (WAI) aims to create an environment where women and minorities are not simply participants but leaders and innovators. Founded in 2016 in Paris, by Dr. Hanan Salam, Caroline Lair, and Moojan Asghari, WAI began as a modest Facebook group and has continued to build a community of over 8,000 members across 140 countries. By fostering empowerment, knowledge, and active collaboration through education, research, events, and blogging, WAI is actively working towards an inclusive AI that benefits global society.

Humanising Technology Though Emotional AI

With the rise of female leadership and innovation in AI, Affectiva was co-founded by Dr Rana el Kaliouby and Dr Rosalind Picard, revolutionising the interaction between humans and machines through emotional AI. Since its inception at the MIT Media Lab in 2009, Affectiva has raised over $53 million from investors worldwide. Dr. Rana el Kaliouby is one of the few women leading an AI company, beginning her career as a scientist to an entrepreneur and a best-selling author, who has helped break the glass ceiling in the tech space.

Championing Diversity

Timnit Gebru is recognised as a leading advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in AI, co-founded Black in AI and The Distributed AI Research Institute, and is making significant strides in addressing racial bias in the industry. Her efforts, including challenging the ethics of AI language models during her time as Google’s Ethical AI team co-lead, underscore the critical need for diverse representation in AI's development and application. Black in AI has transformed from a small Facebook group into a global movement, significantly increasing the participation of Black individuals in major AI conferences through advocacy and financial aid. This initiative highlights the potential of AI to benefit society when diverse perspectives are included, pointing to both the dangers of algorithmic bias and the missed opportunities when inclusivity is overlooked.