AI and the Gender Gap: Why Women Are Being Left Behind and How to Close the Divide

AMNC25: What to Know About AI and the Gender Gap

The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2025 reveals it will take 123 years to achieve gender parity. At the same time, women face growing challenges in the expanding AI sector—fewer enter AI roles, they are less likely to reach leadership, and are more vulnerable to job disruption by generative AI.

At the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China, an all-woman panel discussed these issues and how to close the AI gender gap. The conversation highlighted key barriers and potential solutions for increasing women's participation and leadership in AI.

The Triple Challenge for Women in AI

Women encounter a "triple whammy" in AI:

• Although women graduates outnumber men in many countries, fewer women pursue AI careers.
• Those who do enter AI roles face hurdles to reaching senior positions.
• Women are more likely to work in jobs vulnerable to automation, like administrative roles, while men’s jobs are often augmented by AI.

Currently, women represent only about one-third of the workforce in technology, information, and media sectors.

Insights from Industry Leaders

Meirav Oren, Executive Chairwoman and Co-Founder of Versatile, pointed out women's hesitancy to apply for AI jobs: “Women tend to wait until they check all the boxes before applying.” Encouraging confidence over perfectionism could increase the number of qualified female applicants.

Angela Wang Nan, Chairwoman of Neusoft, highlighted social responsibilities like childcare as barriers to women’s career growth in AI leadership roles. She emphasized the urgent need for education systems to adapt faster to meet AI talent demands.

Oren also noted a positive trend: women leading companies by creating their own roles, regardless of their STEM background. This entrepreneurial spirit is especially visible in China, leveraging a strong STEM education system and investment in AI.

Global Efforts to Close the Gender Gap

Since 2006, the Global Gender Gap Report has tracked national progress towards gender equality. The Forum’s Gender Parity Accelerator model promotes public-private collaboration in 12 countries, working with CEOs and ministers to implement policies such as:

• Extended parental leave
• Subsidized childcare
• Gender-inclusive recruitment, retention, and promotion practices

These efforts aim to close economic gender gaps within a three-year timeframe.

The View From China

Wang Nan shared that women now represent 50% of STEM students in Chinese universities affiliated with her company. This shift signals both increased interest from women and a societal recognition that girls can succeed in IT fields.

Yang Jingjing, who supports 600 AI start-ups, explained that women in China are active in AI policy, research, and education, though less so in algorithm or data engineering roles. Women-led lifestyle platforms are noted to outperform men’s due to qualities like persistence and resilience.

Yang stressed that AI technologies should be fair and inclusive: “No company can afford to ignore half of the population.”

Closing the AI Gender Gap: Practical Steps

Supporting women in AI requires more than encouragement—it needs structural changes. Yang described incubation programs providing childcare and community support to boost women’s confidence and sense of belonging.

The panel agreed AI itself can help by offering personalized coaching, reducing hiring bias through HR tools, and protecting women’s rights against discrimination.

Oren encouraged women to apply for AI roles without waiting for perfection and stressed the importance of visible role models and supportive panels.

Starting STEM education early is crucial. Wang Nan, a mother herself, asked: “Have I encouraged my daughter or the girls around me to explore robotics, computer science, or IT?”

Learn More About AI Skills and Careers

For those interested in AI career development or training, exploring practical courses and certifications can be a good step forward. Resources like Complete AI Training offer a variety of courses tailored to different skill levels and job roles, helping bridge the talent gap.

Closing the AI gender gap is not just a fairness issue—it’s essential for building a balanced, innovative, and inclusive AI workforce.