Women in tech and artificial intelligence: Will algorithms speak only in a male voice?
The technology sector currently faces one of the greatest paradoxes of our time. Data shows that women now outperform men in higher education. Despite this, they represent only one-third of the global IT workforce. As the conversation around women in tech and artificial intelligence grows louder, a critical question emerges. Will AI technology finally close the gender gap, or will it make existing inequalities even worse?
Women in tech and artificial intelligence: What the data shows
The World Economic Forum estimates that closing the gender gap in technology will take 123 years. The Global Gender Gap Report 2026confirms this difficult reality. Women have made strong gains in education (95.1%), yet their share of economic participation remains at just 61%. Furthermore, only 29.5% of managers with higher education are women.
Poland currently ranks 45th out of 148 countries in this category. This result should prompt serious reflection across the entire technology sector. We must consider how the systems we build every day impact the real-world labour market and social structures.
Who uses AI and why it matters
Research from Global Evidence on Gender Gaps and Generative AI found a clear barrier. Statistics show that women use AI tools roughly 25% less often than men. Ethical concerns and a fear of social stigma often drive this trend. Many women also believe that using AI might suggest a lack of independence. Unfortunately, this perception directly reduces their productivity and limits their career advancement opportunities.
Men usually view AI through the lens of convenience and automation. In contrast, women focus more on fairness and the risk of discrimination. This difference in perspective holds true regardless of age or education level. Therefore, gender remains the most decisive factor in how we adopt these new tools.
Algorithms learn from their users
Rembrand Koning of Harvard Business School highlights a mechanism with far-reaching consequences. Large language models learn not only from massive datasets but also from the questions users ask. If women engage with AI less frequently, the technology will reflect a mostly male perspective. Over time, this process reinforces existing biases and deepens gender stereotypes.
The labour market and automation risks
A joint report by the ILO and Poland’s NASK reveals a striking imbalance. Automation threatens 41% of jobs held by women, compared with only 28% for men. This gap reflects the high concentration of women in white-collar roles like accounting or scheduling. These are exactly the positions that AI can replace quite easily. Companies that fail to implement AI wisely will likely disappear from the market.
Why women’s voices are critical
Wioletta Klimczak of the IT Girls Foundation argues that a lack of confidence often roots women’s reluctance to use AI. Years of working in male-dominated environments can lead to self-doubt. Because of this, the Foundation focuses on confidence-building as the key to lasting change.
Diverse teams design more robust and better-tested systems. When we exclude half the population from building technology, the whole society pays the price. At Futurum Technology, we believe that inclusivity is the foundation of good software, not just a minor addition.
Conclusion
The topic of women in tech and artificial intelligence is now a core business strategy. When AI learns primarily from one group, it amplifies bias for everyone. We cannot afford to lose enormous human capital during the automation transition. The technology sector must take full responsibility for the world it is currently shaping.