The rapid adoption of AI is changing how we work, think and innovate. This shift presents a crucial moment for the workforce – especially for women – to seize opportunities for leadership and influence across industries.
Women remain underrepresented in leadership, particularly in tech. According to IBM’s ‘2023 Women in Leadership’ study, women held just 12 percent of C-suite and board positions, with representation dwindling down the pipeline. In fact, only 14 percent of senior vice president roles, 16 percent of vice president or director roles and 19 percent of senior manager positions were held by women – each less than three years prior.
This lack of inclusion is detrimental not only to gender diversity but also to business performance. Organizations that formally prioritize moving women into leadership positions see 19 percent higher revenue growth and report higher employee retention rates.
Generative AI (genAI) offers women a powerful tool to influence their career trajectories and broader leadership in tech. By leveraging its capabilities, women can create new career paths, break traditional barriers and build a foundation for inclusive leadership.
Today, the question is not whether AI will reshape business, society and personal life, but how quickly.
However, structural barriers and unconscious biases in the workplace hinder leadership opportunities. Women often face difficulties navigating corporate hierarchies, where leadership qualities are viewed through a gendered lens. This bias can restrict chances for career advancement.
To overcome these hurdles, women must proactively prepare for the changes ahead. This means embracing the essential skills that AI is creating while cultivating the tenacity, ambition and courage – what I call ‘heartware’ – to pursue their goals.
Expanding AI’s reach
At IBM, we are committed to making AI both powerful and accessible, as illustrated by the recent launch of our family of genAI large language models (LLMs), Granite 3.0. These LLMs include models that integrate seamlessly into business operations, covering everything from language processing to retrieval-augmented generation. By prioritizing transparency, safety and performance, Granite 3.0 empowers teams to take advantage of AI for greater efficiency and growth.
This launch represents an important step in democratizing AI by enabling women and other professionals to effectively use these tools in both daily tasks and strategic initiatives.
IBM is also pioneering autonomous AI agents that are designed to enhance efficiency and productivity. Using the orchestration capabilities of IBM’s AI platform, watsonx, enterprises can create AI agents that perform complex multi-step tasks, make advanced decisions and manage workflows.
Women who are ready to engage with AI must understand its applications in their industries and identify roles where it can amplify their impact.
By automating repetitive duties, these agents enable professionals to focus on high-value roles in strategy, innovation and leadership, helping them advance their careers and improving productivity.
I use these tools to either create artwork in my home or help with repeatable tasks at work, but also to understand what they do, their limitations and strengths.
Organizations worldwide have likewise used watsonx Assistant to build AI assistants that support various tasks, such as answering routine questions from customers or employees, modernizing legacy IT applications and helping students explore potential career paths.
A pathway to leadership
Today, the question is not whether AI will reshape business, society and personal life, but how quickly.
Leaders should view AI as an ally rather than an intimidating force. Embracing genAI now can help ensure continued relevance and open doors to leadership opportunities.
Women who are ready to engage with AI must understand its applications in their industries and identify roles where it can amplify their impact. This shift represents more than just a technological trend; it is a pathway to leadership.
By adopting this technology intentionally and leading with purpose, we can contribute to a more inclusive and innovative future.
As I always emphasize, AI’s promise requires ambition, adaptability and courage. Throughout my career, relationships with mentors and sponsors have been essential for navigating challenges and setting ambitious goals. With AI driving changes across industries, I encourage all women leaders to take bold steps and lead with a global mindset.
We must act decisively to make sure that more women are part of the AI-driven transformation. Whether leading departments, managing client accounts or driving innovation, we can leverage genAI for strategic and mission-critical work. This is a major opportunity for us.
Empowering women in the age of AI
As AI evolves, so must organizations’ approach to leadership. Our investment in Granite 3.0 and autonomous AI agents reflects our commitment to amplifying human potential and advancing inclusivity. This moment is critical for women to leverage AI as a strategic ally and drive change within our industries.
We need more women in AI. The question I often hear is – would AI make it worse? And this important question needs a clear response.
Upskilling plays a key role, whether that’s in AI or in another role or function. However, while upskilling is vital for career progression, business leaders need to recognize the gender bias in their training offerings. Does your company track the gender adoption of that new training?
A shared vision of why AI is important to a business is the other element. This vision needs to permeate down and across all levels, so people know this. Change shouldn’t happen suddenly, right?
AI presents opportunities as well as responsibilities. Women play a vital role in shaping this change. Every CEO is interested in genAI.
Use it, don’t be intimidated by it. Stay abreast of new AI applications. By adopting this technology intentionally and leading with purpose, we can contribute to a more inclusive and innovative future.
