By Lara Tseng
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the defining infrastructure of global power. It is shaping how economies compete, how societies communicate, and increasingly, how conflicts unfold and are resolved. Yet beneath this transformation lies a structural imbalance that is rarely addressed with the urgency it demands. The systems influencing billions of lives are still being built through a narrow lens, one that does not fully reflect the diversity of the world it seeks to serve.
This is a question of representation, reflecting perspectives, priorities, and ultimately, outcomes.
Despite the accelerating importance of artificial intelligence, women remain significantly underrepresented in its development and leadership. According to the report “Artificial Intelligence, platform work and gender equality” by the European Institute for Gender Equality, the rapid expansion of AI-driven labour markets risks reinforcing existing gender inequalities rather than correcting them. This is especially true when women are not adequately represented in the design and deployment of these systems.
This concern is reinforced by broader global data. The World Economic Forum has highlighted that women account for only around 22 percent of AI professionals worldwide, pointing to a persistent and systemic gap in participation at both technical and leadership levels.
Taken together, these findings point to a deeper issue. Artificial intelligence is not being built in a vacuum but currently reflects the structures, biases, and priorities of those who design it. When those structures lack diversity, the systems themselves inherit those limitations.
At a moment when AI is beginning to influence everything from financial inclusion to geopolitical stability, especially during conflict, the absence of women in leadership is an oversight and a strategic risk that could dampen future societies.
The Women Already Redefining the Field
Despite these disparities, women have already played a transformative role in advancing artificial intelligence, particularly in shaping its ethical and human-centred foundations.
Fei-Fei Li, a professor at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute, is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern AI. Her work on ImageNet helped catalyse the deep learning revolution, and her leadership has consistently emphasised the importance of aligning AI with human values. As she has stated, “AI is made by humans, intended to behave by humans, and, ultimately, to impact humans’ lives and human society.”
Timnit Gebru has similarly influenced the direction of AI ethics through her research on algorithmic bias and accountability. Her work has exposed how systems trained on incomplete or skewed data can reinforce inequality, particularly in areas such as facial recognition and hiring technologies.
Joy Buolamwini’s research at the MIT Media Lab further demonstrated the real-world implications of exclusion in AI design. Her findings revealed that facial recognition systems exhibited significantly higher error rates for women and people of colour. As she has succinctly stated, “Who codes matters, how we code matters, why we code matters.”
These leaders are far from exceptions as they represent a growing movement of women who play a significant role in contributing to AI, while redefining its purpose.
AI in a Time of Global Crisis
The urgency of inclusive leadership becomes even more pronounced when viewed against the backdrop of the current global landscape. A case in point is the recent conflict in the Middle East, which sent shockwaves far beyond the region itself.
Disruptions in the flow of hydrocarbons triggered volatility across global markets, amplifying uncertainty and fueling widespread concern. Yet beyond these economic ripple effects, the conflict revealed a deeper structural reality in global decision-making.
Responses were largely shaped by traditional security frameworks, prioritizing deterrence, control, and rapid escalation management. At the same time, a different set of voices emerged. Female-led institutions and peace advocates consistently called for de-escalation, civilian protection, and sustained dialogue.
This contrast reflects a broader divergence in how complex crises are interpreted and addressed. Where dominant systems tend to focus on immediate stabilization through force, more inclusive leadership frameworks often emphasize long-term resilience, human impact, and conflict prevention.
Today, conflicts are no longer shaped solely by political and military actors. They are increasingly mediated by algorithmic intelligence, from surveillance systems to predictive analytics. AI-driven misinformation is reshaping public discourse, while autonomous technologies are being deployed in ways that raise profound ethical and humanitarian questions. Artificial intelligence is no longer neutral infrastructure. It is an active participant in geopolitical and societal dynamics.
In many cases, the development and deployment of these systems have prioritised efficiency, control, and dominance. While these priorities may serve certain objectives, they do not fully address the broader human implications of AI.
Inclusive leadership offers a different path. Research consistently shows that diverse teams are better equipped to identify risks, anticipate unintended consequences, and design systems that are more equitable and resilient. As highlighted in global leadership discussions, diversity in AI is not only about fairness; it is a strategic imperative.
If artificial intelligence continues to be shaped through a narrow set of priorities, it risks reinforcing instability rather than resolving it.
A Different Approach to Intelligence
The question is not whether women would build different AI systems. The real question is whether these systems would differ in their priorities and long-term impact.
Women leaders in AI have consistently demonstrated a focus on areas that extend beyond technical optimisation. These include ethics, governance, transparency, and social impact. These are often described as soft skills, yet they represent some of the most critical competencies required to build systems that can operate effectively within complex human environments.
Empathy, contextual awareness, and collaborative thinking are not secondary to innovation. They are central to ensuring that AI systems are aligned with real-world needs.
In regions affected by conflict, for example, AI systems designed with a greater emphasis on human context could prioritise peacebuilding, early conflict detection, and humanitarian coordination. They could support dialogue rather than division, and stability rather than escalation.
This perspective is gaining traction globally. As leaders in the space have noted, this is a defining moment to ensure that technology reflects the diversity of the world it serves.
The Strategic Imperative for Inclusion
The case for women in AI is often framed through the lens of equality. While this is essential, it is equally a matter of strategic necessity.
Artificial intelligence is now embedded in decision-making processes that affect billions of people. From financial systems to healthcare, from public policy to education, AI influences outcomes at scale.
When these systems are built without diverse perspectives, they risk amplifying existing inequalities. Bias in data leads to bias in outcomes. Lack of representation leads to blind spots in design.
The European Institute for Gender Equality report underscores this risk, noting that without deliberate intervention, AI has the potential to deepen structural inequalities rather than address them.
Trust will become one of the most valuable currencies in the AI-driven economy. Organisations and governments will increasingly be evaluated not only on their technological capabilities, but on their ability to build systems that are fair, transparent, and accountable.
Women leaders are already playing a central role in shaping these frameworks.
Reframing Leadership in the Age of AI
The rise of artificial intelligence is also redefining leadership itself.
Technical expertise remains critical, but it is no longer sufficient. The leaders who will define the next phase of AI are those who can integrate technology with ethics, innovation with responsibility, and ambition with accountability.
At VECOW, we have seen firsthand how diverse leadership teams approach challenges differently. They ask broader questions, consider a wider range of stakeholders, and prioritise long-term impact alongside immediate results.
This does not dilute performance, but rather builds an alternative perspective, building a complete picture.
A Future Defined by Balance
Artificial intelligence will define the trajectory of the global economy for decades to come. It will shape industries, influence governance, and redefine the relationship between humans and machines.
The decisions being made today will determine whether AI becomes a force for division or a platform for progress.
Ensuring that women are at the centre of this transformation is not about correcting an imbalance for its own sake. It is about building systems that are capable of serving humanity in its full complexity.
It is about recognising that intelligence, in its most powerful form, is not purely computational nor masculine. It is human.
Closing Perspective
We are at a defining moment in the evolution of artificial intelligence.
The choices made today will shape technological outcomes, building new societal trends. They will influence how power is distributed, how opportunities are created, and how challenges are addressed.
Women in AI leadership is not a peripheral part of this story. It is central to the concept of AI itself.
A female perspective will not change who leads it, rather influence how AI is built, governed, and ultimately, how it reshapes the world.
One may ask then, whether women belong in AI leadership and the answer is obvious, without women, can artificial intelligence really reach its full potential.
Larisa (Lara) Tseng is a technology and innovation leader specializing in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and emerging markets strategy. She serves as CEO and Regional Director of VECOW MENA and Turkey, where she drives initiatives that bridge advanced technologies with real-world economic and social impact. Her work focuses on shaping inclusive AI ecosystems, with a strong emphasis on education, ethical innovation, and cross-regional collaboration across Africa, the Middle East, and beyond.
