The figure: 9.6%

This is how much higher the risk is for women that their jobs will be replaced by artificial intelligence - compared to men. At the same time, women are significantly underrepresented in the development and use of AI. Time to change that.

The double challenge: what studies show

The world of work is changing at a rapid pace due to AI. But the change is hitting women particularly hard and twice over:

• Women's jobs particularly at risk

According to the latest report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and NASK from 2025, 9.6% of women's jobs worldwide are at risk of automation through AI - compared to just 3.5% of men's jobs. This is mainly due to the fact that many female-dominated jobs in administration, communication or customer service are particularly easy to automate.

• Few female perspectives in AI development

Only 20.3% of developers in the AI sector in Europe are female, according to the latest Interlace EU study from 2024. Women are also significantly underrepresented in GenAI training. According to the Coursera 2025 report, their share is only 27% worldwide. At the same time, AI models are already shaping our image of leadership: in 99% of the CEO images generated with AI, the executive depicted is male (Finder.com, 2024).

What this has to do with leadership

AI is not neutral. It reproduces what we teach it. And that is precisely why inclusive leadership is needed now more than ever:

• Strengthening diversity in AI teams

Women not only bring technical understanding, but also ethical, communicative and strategic perspectives. This diversity is essential if AI models are to be sustainable and fair.

• Conquering new roles beyond STEM

Prompt engineers, AI ethicists, tech strategists, leadership roles for non-technical women with a focus on customer benefit - AI opens up new professional fields that combine analytical thinking, creative solution finding and a sense of social impact. This is where there is huge potential for women, whether they have a STEM background or not.

Technology is democratizing - through low-code/no-code platforms, accessible tools and a new language of interaction. This is creating a new approach to leadership in the tech environment that is also open to female career changers.

• Changing corporate culture

If you want to be successful in the future of AI, you need a working environment that not only invites women, but actively integrates them. This includes transparent career paths, further training and targeted mentoring programs.Karrierepfade, Weiterbildungen und gezielte Mentoring-Programme.

"Artificial intelligence is not gender-neutral. If women are absent from development and use, their perspectives are also absent from the results. Leadership today means not only demanding diversity, but enabling it," explains Begonia Vazquez Merayo, Managing Director & Founder, Why Consult powering net4tec.

Conclusion: If you want to help shape the future, you have to enable diversity

AI is not only changing work processes, it is also changing power structures. Women must not just be bystanders in this change, but must take on responsibility. Companies are equally called upon to create the necessary framework conditions and actively shape an inclusive management culture in order to support women on their path to leadership.

This is by no means just about technical know-how. Sustainable leadership in the AI era requires new skills: ethical awareness, interdisciplinary thinking, decision-making skills in complex systems - and the ability to help shape technological developments in society.

This is the only way to make AI truly sustainable, fair and inclusive.

Directly implementable:

  • Talk to your team about bias in AI systems.
  • Use GenAI courses - many are free and flexible to use.
  • Support women in your environment who want to develop their skills in tech topics.
  • Build up AI skills in a targeted manner - step by step. Those who pursue targeted training can actively help shape the future
  • Learn in exchange with others - community counts.
    •

    Networks such as net4tec | 4 WoMen Careers in Technology specifically support women in upskilling in the AI era. With formats such as the AI Leadership Roadmap, we offer a comprehensive program of live webinars, practical workshops and an active community of practice.

    Sources & Studies
    ILO & NASK Report 2025: "Generative AI and Jobs: A Global Analysis"
    Interlace EU Gender & AI Study 2024
    Coursera Global Skills Report 2025
    Finder.com Prompt Bias Analysis 2024