Women in AI leadership could be the key to responsible AI use

The Dataquest conclave witnessed vocal conversation on Reimagining AI through the lens of women leaders — driving innovation, equity, and impact for all.

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The panel discussion on “Reimagining AI through the lens of women leaders - driving innovation, equity, and impact for all.” The coveted panelists who enthusiastically participated included, Rajeshwari Krishnamurthy, Professor, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Mitali Nikore, Economist and Public Policy specialist, Nikore Associates, and Sugandha Srivastava, Senior Analyst, CMR. This session was moderated by Minu Sirsalewala, Executive Editor, CyberMedia.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is deeply embedded in our lives, shaping crucial decisions in finance, employment, and governance. However, the gender imbalance in AI leadership and policy-making raises pressing concerns about biases that could have long-term consequences. At the Dataquest Digital Leadership Conclave, industry experts and thought leaders discussed the role of women in AI, existing biases, and the steps needed to create a more equitable AI ecosystem.

THE GENDER GAP IN AI: A STARK REALITY

Despite AI’s growing influence, women remain significantly underrepresented in the field. Only 22% of AI professionals globally are women, with the numbers dropping to 14% in research and below 10% in AI policy advisory roles in India. This disparity affects the way AI systems are developed, trained, and implemented, leading to biases that mirror societal inequalities. Many datasets used to train AI models inherently carry gender biases due to historical data, exacerbating systemic discrimination in AI-driven decision-making.