As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it's essential to acknowledge the significant contributions women have made in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While AI continues to revolutionise industries globally, the gender gap in tech remains a pressing issue. This day serves as both a celebration of women in AI and a call to action for greater inclusion and diversity in the field.
Understanding AI's need for minimised bias is crucial. Bias can infiltrate AI outputs, data, and algorithm development, often unintentionally. When solutions are developed with a narrow perspective, they inevitably become biased. This isn't out of malice, but rather a consequence of limited viewpoints, leading to outcomes that aren't societally fair.
“Papers with at least one female co-author tend to be more applied and socially aware, with terms such as fairness, human mobility, mental health, gender, and personality being among the most salient ones”. [1]
We see similar issues in broader engineering fields, where products like phones are often too large for women to hold comfortably, or car safety features are primarily tested on male mannequins. These examples highlight the importance of inclusive design, especially given AI's potential impact. It's vital to involve people from all backgrounds to ensure AI development benefits everyone.
“By 2022, 85% of AI projects will deliver erroneous outcomes due to bias in data, algorithms, or the teams responsible for managing them. This is not just a problem for gender inequality – it also undermines the usefulness of AI”. [2]
Women have already made a significant impact in AI. Pioneers like Fei-Fei Li, Co-Founder & Co-Director of Stanford’s Human-Centred AI Institute and inventor of ImageNet, and Timnit Gebru, an advocate for ethical AI, have profoundly influenced our understanding of machine learning, ethics, and bias in AI systems.
Women bring diverse perspectives that foster more ethical, inclusive, and effective AI solutions. Research shows that diverse teams drive better innovation, yet women remain underrepresented in AI research, engineering, and leadership roles.
“If the population that is creating the technology is homogeneous, we’re going to get technology that is designed by and works well for that specific population. Even if they have good intentions of serving everyone, their innate biases drive them to design toward what they are most familiar with”.
Despite progress, women in AI face several challenges:
- Underrepresentation: Women hold only a small fraction of technical roles in AI and machine learning.
- Bias in AI Systems: Gender bias in AI models reflects and perpetuates real-world inequalities.
- Lack of Mentorship and Leadership Opportunities: Women often struggle to find mentorship and advancement in the field.
However, the future is promising. Initiatives like Women in AI, AI4ALL, and Girls Who Code are empowering women to enter and thrive in AI careers. Organisations are also implementing policies to promote diversity and address bias in AI systems.
On this International Women’s Day, let's spread awareness about AI and encourage young girls, women, and underrepresented groups to pursue STEM careers. Let's advocate for inclusive workplaces and amplify the voices of women in AI. And most importantly, let's commit to recognising and celebrating women’s achievements, not just today, but every day of the year.
[1] How gender diverse is the workforce of AI research? | Nesta [2] Gartner, Inc. [3] Why Diversity In AI Is So Important (forbes.com)
