To fight against this, women must be encouraged to take up the field of STEM, and particularly AI. This necessitates paradigm shifts in education systems to encourage girls to pursue STEM courses from an early phase of life, coupled with robust policies that create an enabling environment for women in technology. The leadership of top governments and companies must create benchmarks for gender equity in tech roles and force genuine transformation.

Gender bias in AI systems is also widely reported. For example, in 2018, Amazon scrapped an AI recruitment tool that favoured male applicants because it was trained on biased historical data, penalising words like women's or all-women colleges. These biases can typically happen because of homogeneous datasets and diversity shortages in development teams.

Varying teams are the key to solving this issue. Businesses should hire different people and create fairer AI systems. Auditing, ethical scrutiny, and processes of bias tests are also essential to make the technology more equal.

While the AI industry soars high and overpowers the marketplace, the requirement for trained human resources is gathering momentum more than ever. This is a historic opportunity for women to carve out a niche in the age of AI. Mentorship programmes, awards, and targeted AI training can close the gender gap and equip women with required skills. Organisations need to actively assist women through programs and initiatives that encourage their involvement in AI. Celebrating women achievements in the profession can also be a wonderful inspiration to others to make similar aspirations.

Machine learning and AI are transforming the workforce, thereby making upskilling and reskilling essential. Technical skills in AI, imparted to women, enable them to thrive in this competitive era. There are various platforms as well as organisations that offer affordable and reasonable upskilling courses in AI as well as related technologies with the passage of time.

Not only that, but also governments and corporations must work together to fund such initiatives, so that women are made equally available for these chances. Public-private partnerships can provide scalable programs that impart industry-relevant skills to women, which will allow them to compete for the jobs of the future.

Women leaders in the age of AI embody the revolutionary potential of inclusive leadership. Their research propels the field of AI and shatters stereotypes regarding women in technology. It is crucial to bring more women into leadership positions in such a revolutionary setting. Women leaders can guide and inspire generations to come, instilling an atmosphere of inclusion and innovation. Women-in-tech leadership programmes can further accelerate this change.

Women in AI have to overcome many obstacles, such as biases in workplaces, fewer networking opportunities, and social norms that discourage them from working in the field of technology. These issues need to be addressed through a multi-faceted approach.

Organisations must also make their working environments more welcoming and actively seek to encourage women through initiatives such as flexible work, sponsorship initiatives, and leadership development opportunities. Creating a networking and mentorship culture can also help to effectively overcome these challenges for women.

AI can offer new opportunities for women professionals in the form of enabling flexible work arrangements and improving work-life balance. AI-powered platforms can facilitate remote work, flexible hours, and learning resources, thereby making it easy for women to manage personal and professional life. Besides that, AI-powered tools can help women entrepreneurs expand their businesses by providing market intelligence, customer insights, and automation, thereby facilitating economic independence.

Women-led AI groups are instrumental in fostering cooperation and innovation. These forums, which are typically women-led and driven, offer an environment to learn from one another, connect, and work together on projects, driving growth together. Through making space for women to take the lead, these groups empower them to shape the future of AI while addressing some of the niche issues that women face in the field.

Focusing on initiatives like Women in AI (WAI) can help companies lead by example. Built by women for women, WAI has established a global network of professionals, providing mentorship, training, and opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations. These communities not only motivate women to shatter barriers but also enable them to take control of their careers and build the AI world as leaders and pioneers.

Women alone cannot eliminate gender bias in AI; individuals, governments, and organisations need to work together to achieve this. Organizations need to invest in upskilling programs, foster inclusive workplaces, and formulate policies that ensure diversity. Governments need to offer funds and policymaking to support these processes. Individuals can contribute in two ways: by fighting for equality and mentoring generations to come.

We must work to build a future where women lead this technology revolution and are not merely along for the ride as we navigate the AI era. Together, we can see AI develop into a force of creativity, diversity, and opportunity for all.

This article is authored by Neha Bagaria, founder and CEO, HerKey.