According to a study reported by Les Glorieuses, by 2026, 86% of the jobs most at risk from AI-related disruptions in the United States will be held by women.  

Given this observation, the question seems obvious: How can we accelerate the adoption of AI among women? 

For many Women & Diversity in Tech ambassadors, the real question may lie elsewhere. 

Is adoption really the problem? 

For Ana Catarina de Alencar, an expert on AI ethics and governance, reducing the debate to a question of adoption means overlooking deeper issues. 

She highlights a paradox: women sometimes use AI less in certain professional contexts, even though they may be more vulnerable to the consequences of automation. 

According to her, this situation raises a more fundamental question: 

"Is this really a question of adoption, or rather a question of social stance toward a technology that is already drastically transforming professions that have traditionally been dominated by women?" 

She points out that many of the jobs most at risk of automation today rely on skills that are often overlooked: human coordination, communication, mediation, organization, and interpersonal skills. 

Skills that, paradoxically, are now becoming qualities that the tech industry is seeking to replicate in artificial intelligence systems. 

Ana Catarina de Alencar refers in particular to Geoffrey Hinton's recent remarks envisioning an AI capable of protecting and caring for humans. 

"It sometimes feels as though we are witnessing, at the same time, the decline of human interpersonal relationships and the transformation of care into a scalable technological product." 

In her view, this tension warrants closer examination. As certain traditionally female-dominated professions become more vulnerable to automation, the qualities often associated with them—empathy, active listening, and emotional regulation—suddenly become technological objectives. 

From Inclusion to Rebalancing 

This perspective is particularly reflected in the testimony of Fatiha Zeghoudi, a cybersecurity expert and active member of the Women & Diversity in Tech community. 

In her view, the rise of AI is reminiscent of certain imbalances already observed in other technological fields. 

"In cybersecurity, we are still facing a significant lag; we cannot afford to fall behind in the same way on a topic as fundamental as artificial intelligence." 

She believes that the risk lies not only in the use of technology, but also in the ability to participate in its design, deployment, and the decisions that go along with it. 

However, this issue runs up against some well-known realities. 

"All too often, personal constraints, mental load, or family responsibilities still end up holding women back—or even steering their career paths in a certain direction by default—in the tech industry." 

Nevertheless, she rejects any fatalistic view. 

According to her, the diversity of backgrounds and experiences is precisely the richness that artificial intelligence needs to develop in a more accurate and relevant way. 

His conclusion alone sums up the issue: 

"It's no longer just about inclusion, but about restoring balance." 

A Matter of Having a Say in Decisions 

As these discussions have progressed, one thing has become clear. 

The debate is not just about the use of AI. It is also about the ability to influence the decisions that will shape its development. 

As the article shared with the ambassadors points out, the real risk may not be skepticism itself, but the absence of women in decision-making forums.  

Behind the discussions about adoption, productivity, and efficiency gains, one question remains: Who is currently involved in building the systems that will transform our organizations, our industries, and our societies in the future? 

Perhaps that is where the real challenge lies. It's not just about learning how to use AI, but about helping to shape what it will become.