Artificial Intelligence in combination with women
In the digital community, but also from many visionaries, who are leaders we constantly hear how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is absolutely inevitable in future. We are preparing whether by improving digital skills, critical thinking, as well as innovative technologies that are making life easier in many aspects. AI will make our life easier, more open, and if used based on the right systems will create many valuable benefits.
Let’s not forget to keep in mind- women’s aspect!
The challenges that Artificial Intelligence brings will also reflect on gender equality, the perception of women in high positions as well as not neglecting women in factories hanging on to the lowest wages. As OECD mentioned in their article “Today’s AI systems can present serious biases against women because AI systems are designed with data that look towards the past, while we, as society, must look forward.”
To recognize and avoid this growing issue, it is good to look at the combination of women and AI on two scales. As mentioned above, AI looks at the historical data, numbers, and analyses. This reflects in recruitment. From the historical data perspective, it is unprecedented to recruit large numbers of women in the IT sector, since historically the sector has been shown to be male-dominated. The system therefore also works on the basis of stereotyping when it’s not set up to look for specific characteristics, regardless of gender.
So it’s affected management? Yes. AI workplace focuses mainly on 3 qualities from team and management perspective – digital skills, communication skills, and physical ones too. Unfortunately, many workplaces data is collected from profoundly male-dominated environments – making the systems hard to find strong female attributes. So as long as self-confidence, assertivenes is measured which men are taught to present from childhood, women under this system can be taken as unhelpful and not good enough leaders, overlooking all the positives they can contribute by.
Let’s talk- solutions!
Key to the mature future in which we all move freely and can become confident leaders is. to improve processes and design systems every day. And that is exactly what applies to AI systems. It’s important that these systems take data from culturally differentiated and diverse backgrounds, which can empower not only women to get on top but also people with different ethnic roots or beliefs. It is essential to create space for women in the digital future on a day-to-day basis, to create workgroups in which they can exist as well as lead. Discrimination and inequality must be clearly and specifically addressed, and it is imperative that in the future we take actions that will eliminate inequalities on each and every ground – both public and private sectors, as well as technology corporations, or startups.
Let’s be sensitive to every inequality in our environments, so the future seems even by just a bit clearer.
Read more here: https://oecd.ai/en/wonk/ai-womens-working-lives