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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shaping the world, but the field remains male-dominated, with women making up only about 18% of AI professionals. Despite this gap, women are driving critical advancements in AI research, ethics, and entrepreneurship, reshaping the industry in profound ways.

Women have played a pivotal role in advancing AI across various domains:

Monette generously shared an anecdote of hers this past week:

"Early in my career, I often found myself as the only visible woman in AI conversations—so much so that my technical expertise surprised people. Once, while conducting due diligence for a venture fund, a CTO was stunned that I had deep technical knowledge, assuming I was in marketing simply because I was a woman. Moments like these highlight why diversity in AI isn't just valuable—it's essential."

While this is not anything close to an exhaustive list of the extraordinary women who are revolutionising AI, it provides examples of the multitude of ways that women have shaped, and are shaping the field.

Many networks of communities are empowering women in AI through mentorship, advocacy, and education:

Despite research showing women-led startups generate higher ROI, they still receive 1% of venture capital funding of total women owned, and less than 6% with a male cofounder. The following initiatives are working to bridge this gap:

Despite ongoing challenges, there is increasing momentum and concrete steps toward creating a more equitable AI field for women.

Addressing Bias in AI Systems Recent high-profile cases, such as Amazon’s hiring algorithm showing bias against female candidates, have highlighted the importance of diversity in AI development teams. For Example, Amazon discontinued a recruiting tool after discovering it unfairly penalized resumes containing words like "women's," underscoring the need for greater inclusion in the AI field.

Organizations such as WiML, AI4ALL, and Women in Data are providing targeted mentorship programs, training bootcamps, networking opportunities, and career advancement support. These initiatives help women navigate barriers to entry and progress successfully in their AI careers.

Corporate Diversity Commitments Benefiting WomenCompanies are moving beyond broad promises by implementing concrete actions that have notably improved outcomes—such as structured mentorship programs that significantly increase retention rates, transparent promotion criteria reducing gender disparities in leadership, and targeted recruitment initiatives leading to measurable increases in women's representation.

Encouraging Trends and a Hopeful Outlook With growing awareness of diversity’s importance in ethical AI, companies are embracing inclusive practices such as transparent reporting and accountability measures. Women can further empower themselves through active mentorship, advocacy for equitable opportunities, and thought leadership participation.

The GenAI Collective, for the very first time, is active in U.S. AI policy!

On March 15, 2025, the GenAI Collective responded to the White house Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)’s Request for Information on the Development of an AI Action Plan.

Our response is based on our belief that the U.S. must leverage data as a strategic asset in order to retain its position as the global leader in AI and technological progress, ensuring that society & technology continue to be driven towards trust, openness, and global prosperity. Based on in-depth interviews, survey results, and proprietary research, we feel that it is data, rather than compute that represents the bottleneck to ensuring this future, and U.S. policy must reflect this. Our recommendations follow three broad points: (1) the creation of a federated, national data store for use by American AI companies, (2) modern, interoperable information architecture via the dissemination of AI-native data standards such as MCP, and (3) building an AI-ready economy by cultivating, attracting, and retaining world-class talent.

Our full response can be found here.

Picture courtesy of Roy Nissim.

Tel Aviv’s AI ecosystem just got stronger. The GenAI Collective launched in Israel, bringing together the city’s top minds for an evening of sharp insights and real conversations. A powerhouse panel tackled AI innovation, ethical development, and what it takes to push the boundaries in one of the world’s most dynamic tech hubs.

Hosted at GUTS – Harel Innovation Hub, the event set the tone for what’s next—deep collaboration between researchers, founders, and operators shaping AI’s future. With engaged discussions and a buzzing room, Tel Aviv’s GenAI community is officially on the map.

Picture courtesy of Caren Cioffi.

At HumanX, AI’s next wave of builders, investors, and leaders gathered to chart the future. The GenAI Collective mixer cut through the noise, bringing together key players for unfiltered discussions on AI’s toughest challenges—scalability, enterprise adoption, and what’s real vs. hype.

This wasn’t just another networking event. It was a space for honest conversations about where AI is headed, what’s working, and what still needs to be figured out. The takeaway? The most valuable breakthroughs won’t come from headlines—they’ll come from those still in the trenches, experimenting, iterating, and building.

Picture courtesy of Eric DeChant.

Chicago’s most influential women in AI and tech came together for a no-filter conversation on power, influence, and the future of AI. Over an intimate brunch, industry leaders broke down the real dynamics shaping AI governance, ethics, and leadership—emphasizing why women’s voices must be in the room where AI decisions are made.

A core theme emerged: AI is quietly shifting power dynamics, giving women the tools to delegate, strategize, and lead at new levels. This wasn’t just a celebration—it was a rallying cry for more representation, more action, and more women shaping AI’s future.

Against the backdrop of a stunning San Francisco penthouse, 50 women and allies in AI gathered for an intimate, high-impact conversation on the future of inclusivity in the field. The evening featured a powerhouse panel discussing AI’s role as an equity driver, the advantages women bring to the space, and the networks needed to drive lasting change.

Beyond the insights, the event reinforced that women in AI are shaping the future not just by participating, but by leading. Over fine wine and meaningful conversations, attendees left energized, connected, and ready to push AI forward on their own terms.

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About Noah Frank

Noah is the co-founder of Aurix and has spent his career both working at startups and advising global leaders on innovation strategy. His work and body of research focus on AI policy, anticipatory governance, and effective decision-making. When not working to make emerging tech work for all, you can find him making music with his band. 🎸

Swagata Ashwani is a Principal Data Scientist at Boomi, leading AI initiatives from ideation to implementation. With over seven years of experience in healthcare, retail, and platform integration industries, she mentors junior data scientists and drives patent initiatives, holding an AI patent from the USPTO. An active NLP researcher, Swagata contributes to research articles, book chapters, and speaks at top data science conferences. She leads the San Francisco chapter of Women in Data, organizing events and mentoring women pursuing data science careers. In her spare time, she enjoys strength training, sipping masala chai, and practicing yoga.

About Aqeel Ali

Aqeel co-leads the newsletter for the GenAI Collective. He’s building Retentech AI, which helps ad supported websites boost revenue by retaining site visitors for longer. When not immersed in voice chats with ChatGPT, startups, or making untimely jokes, Aqeel writes! 🎨