Bridging the Gender Divide in AI

Imagine waking up in a world where AI shapes everything—the job market, healthcare, justice systems, and even who gets a loan or education. Now, imagine that this AI has been trained on data that largely ignores your experiences, your perspectives, and your needs. For millions of women worldwide, this is the present reality. AI is being built without their voices and input, and that must change.

 

The Invisible Half

AI learns from data, and right now, that data is shockingly incomplete. Women’s voices, stories, and contributions are missing from the datasets that fuel AI decision-making. This exclusion is a digital form of systemic bias that reinforces and accelerates gender inequalities. Consider these facts:

• Women make up just 22% of AI professionals globally.
• Only 18% of research papers at top AI conferences are authored by women.
• AI-powered hiring systems have been shown to favor male candidates for leadership roles.
• Facial recognition systems have higher error rates for women and people of color, leading to real-world discrimination.

If AI is the architect of our digital future, then half the population has been given no say in its blueprint. The question isn’t just ‘Where are the women in AI?’, it’s ‘Why has AI been built to ignore them?’

 

Africa is not just a consumer, but a leader in AI innovation

Africa has long been positioned as a passive consumer of AI technology rather than an active creator. However, with the world’s youngest population and rapidly expanding digital economies, Africa has the power to shape AI, not just for itself, but for the world.

But AI development in Africa must be intentional. It must center on local voices, languages, and experiences. It must ensure that disenfranchised groups, Including women, are not just participants, but leaders in the conversation.

What’s at stake?

• AI that recognizes and processes Africa’s 2,000+ languages accurately.
• AI-driven healthcare that accounts for the unique medical needs of African women.
• AI-powered economic tools that support women-led businesses and financial inclusion.

We must build AI that serves our reality, otherwise, someone else will build AI that ignores it, further perpetuating the systemic bias that exists.

 

Turning the Data Gap into an opportunity

For over 16 years, Ushahidi has been at the forefront of amplifying marginalized voices through technology. In this AI era, our mission is even clearer: We must ensure AI works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

We are focusing on:

• Data Equity: Expanding datasets to include diverse voices, ensuring AI decisions are fair and inclusive.
• Women-Led Innovation: Supporting women in AI research, leadership, and technical development.
• Community-Driven AI: Developing open-source tools that allow communities to shape AI to fit their needs—not the other way around.

 

International Women’s Day 2025 challenges us to Accelerate Action for gender equality. But in AI, acceleration without intention only deepens disparities. We need urgent, deliberate change.

 

What can you do?

• Amplify the conversation by sharing stories of women in AI.
• Push for data transparency and accountability in AI development.
• Support initiatives that promote diversity in AI education and leadership.

The future of AI is not pre-written; it’s being coded in real-time. Will we let it exclude half the world’s population, or will we fight for an AI that truly serves all of us?

The choice is ours. Let’s build AI that sees, values, and empowers women. Let’s #AccelerateAction—together.