The Digital Almaty 2025 forum hosted a session entitled “New Opportunities for Women in the AI Era.” Leading experts exchanged views on the development and future of artificial intelligence (AI). The session was moderated by Bikesh Kurmangaliyeva, a board member of the TechnoWomen NGO in Kazakhstan, DKnews.kz reports.
The role of women in digital business and AI
One of the main issues at the forum was the role of women in AI projects and the digital industry. Elena Sedykh, a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, founder of the Dogovor 24 project, and chairwoman of the TechnoWomen Strategic Council, delivered a report on this topic. She noted the importance of women’s participation in the development of technologies and spoke about the obstacles and gender stereotypes encountered in this area.
Technological trends and impact of AI
According to research by the World Economic Forum, 86% of respondents believe that artificial intelligence will be the technology that will have the greatest impact on business by 2030. Generative AI, in particular, is gaining traction in developed countries, where it can boost productivity. However, it also poses a risk of unemployment and social inequality.
Gender stereotypes and women’s challenges in AI
UN Women notes that digital technologies are opening up opportunities for education, health and economic growth. However, there are a number of issues that can lead to gender inequality in AI systems:
Gender stereotypes: The data used to train AI often reflects traditional roles in society, resulting in algorithms that unconsciously replicate stereotypes.
Lack of diversity in development teams: AI development teams are often male-dominated, which can lead to gender bias.
Limited access to funding and mentorship: Women in the tech industry struggle to attract investment and professional support.
Lack of successful female role models: The lack of visible female leaders in AI hinders the recruitment of young professionals.
How can gender inequality be reduced?
At the forum, Elena Sedykh proposed the following solutions to eliminate gender stereotypes and increase the participation of women in the AI industry:
Diversify data for AI training, maintain inclusivity and equality.
Conduct an audit of AI systems, identify discriminatory patterns and eliminate them.
Create mentoring programs and support initiatives for women.
Provide financial support to AI startups, encourage investment in inclusive technologies.
Change the corporate culture of companies, create conditions for increasing diversity.
Develop awareness and inclusive strategies to strengthen the role of women in the AI industry.
The Digital Almaty 2025 forum showed that the future of women in the AI industry depends on collective efforts. The main motto is to learn, implement changes, form a support system and contribute to the development of gender equality in the digital industry.
