Tech Explained: Representation in tech cannot lag in the age of AI in Simple Terms

This theme feels especially relevant to the tech sector as not only does tech increasingly shape so many aspects of our every day, but it is also moving incredibly fast and scaling. An imbalance in representation at this moment in time, in the age of data and AI, could have far-reaching negative consequences that also scale in the wrong direction. 

Creating ‘balance’ or inclusive environments is not something we can pay lip service to, or just a ‘nice to have’. Inclusivity now will drive better decisions and outcomes. When leadership and technology teams are diverse, we challenge assumptions earlier. We design more thoughtfully. We build products that actually reflect the customers using them.

Responsibility and accountability to speak up

On a personal level, I’m very aware that sitting in a senior role is a privilege. There were rooms earlier in my career that I wasn’t in. Now that I am, I feel a real responsibility to amplify other women’s voices and talents and to be an advocate – one that ensures credit is visible – and to open networks that might otherwise feel closed. 

This responsibility also includes speaking up in situations when I see decisions or patterns that unintentionally exclude or overlook women’s voices. Those conversations aren’t always comfortable, but they’re important if we genuinely want progress. The doors are open for women in tech but we must ensure to keep widening them. 

Technology shapes many aspects of our daily lives – how businesses grow, how customers engage with products and even how decisions are made through data and AI. That makes representation within the sector incredibly important. 

It’s also crucial to pause and recognise that whilst there is a way to go in terms of creating full inclusivity and equity, there has been significant progress. There are increasing numbers of impressive women leaders in the tech sector and this visibility is very important in shaping the future of what the tech sector looks like.

Now and the future of women in technology

Seeing women leading in engineering, product, operations or commercial strategy changes what feels possible for the next generation of women and girls entering work, especially in tech or tech-adjacent industries. 

International Women’s Day for me is less of just a celebration and more of an opportunity to pause and reflect on the progress that has been made, the work yet to be done, and a reminder of our responsibility as leaders to ensure that the momentum keeps building when it comes to inclusivity, representation and the removal of systemic barriers that women may face in our industry. 

On the surface the barriers may feel more subtle in today’s corporate world, but they’re real. Access and representation at the executive level and commercial sponsorship is still not evenly distributed. When women do have a seat at the table, our leadership styles and performance expectations can still be judged differently. 

In quickly evolving areas like AI and technology in general, these types of  representation gaps risk shaping products in ways that don’t fully reflect the diverse people they are designed to serve. 

Change needs proactive energy

Change requires an intentional and proactive approach to ensure women receive access to the same opportunities. Who gets recommended for the stretch assignment? Who gets introduced to the investor? Who gets amplified in a meeting?

One of the most powerful tools I have in leadership is the ability to provide sponsorship, to be someone who highlights and amplifies the talents of women based on their merits and unique perspectives and to back this up with policies, and structures within organisations that aim to remove some of the traditional barriers that can hold them back. Think parental leave, flexibility, Women’s ERGs and our very own “Purple Women” initiative at Eagle Eye, mentorship and leadership development.