How Can India Leverage AI To Empower Indian Women Better?
Women's well-being, safety, progress and gender equality are vital for creating growing economies, sustainable enterprises, and a happier, healthier world.
The theme for International Women’s Day in 2024 is “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” closely in the heels of last year’s theme of “Gender Equality”, one of the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals to be achieved by 2030.
Women's well-being, safety, progress and gender equality are vital for creating growing economies, sustainable enterprises, and a happier, healthier world.
However, current global statistics paint a very different and sombre picture, with projections indicating that by 2030, over 340 million women and girls—8% of the female population—will live in extreme poverty; it will take more than 200 years to achieve gender equality in public life.
The rapid evolution and adoption of artificial intelligence technology have transformed the way we think, act, behave and live. Its widespread use, especially in businesses, has led to beneficial outcomes for economies, workplaces and society. Hence, it is natural to apply AI to complex data-driven problems such as gender quality and women's empowerment, to assist governments in implementing effective policies and measures.
The AI revolution has humongous significance for a rapidly developing country like India, which currently has a population of 1.43 billion people, making it richly diverse in its demographics and thought processes. The Government of India has taken great strides in establishing a national AI programme through Niti Aayog, complete with establishing an AI mission and AI stack to drive AI-driven transformation in key sectors such as healthcare, digital finance, education and career opportunities.
While AI has so far been very beneficial in transforming businesses at large, it also holds tremendous potential for empowering women, who remain underrepresented in society.
Some of the key aspects in which AI can empower and benefit women are:
Skilling and education
Career building and advancement
Safety
Women have made significant contributions to every technological revolution, right from the early advent of computers or the digital era to augmented and virtual reality and now AI. But a persistent gender gap in digital access prevents them from fully leveraging this technology for their own advancement and well-being.
Skilling And Education: Women’s underrepresentation in STEM education and careers poses a significant barrier to their participation in technology design and governance. Additionally, increasing online gender-based violence and inadequate legal policies deter women from engaging in the digital space. AI-based education and experiences can enhance women’s competitive advantage in education, job opportunities and career progression, extending beyond boardrooms and IT departments to finance, customer service, research and product development.
Career Building And Advancement: AI also has the potential to create equal opportunities for women in the workplace, from recruitment to career advancement, by automating tasks and eliminating bias in hiring processes and performance evaluations. A more diverse workplace is an absolute need of the hour to remove AI biases and develop the right strategies and approaches for AI application in these areas.
Safety: Another extremely important area that can be addressed using AI is gender-based violence against women and girls. According to the latest research, 78% of countries have budgetary commitments to implement legislation addressing violence against women. AI can aid in conducting the much-required research and collecting data on violence against women, which is essential for policymakers to develop strategies and allocate resources to address gender-based violence and promote safety.
Seizing The Opportunity
The key to success in AI lies in increasing female representation across the board. It's not just about diversity; it profoundly shapes technology's future. Efforts made today will empower women to unlock AI’s true potential, positioning them as future wealth creators and entrepreneurs in society.
Active involvement of women in shaping governance and regulatory frameworks, leading teams and staying abreast of changes is crucial for India’s journey towards becoming a Vishwa Guru.
AI's transformative potential to shape humanity’s future underscores the need for diverse perspectives, mitigating biases and upholding ethical standards. Ethical AI, encompassing responsible AI and inclusive AI, ensures the integration of the right values and benefits all sections of society, including minorities and underrepresented groups.
Putting women at the forefront of the AI journey isn't just about diversity—it's a strategic imperative for fostering a more inclusive and equitable society. India’s trajectory, driven by women-led development with responsible AI at its core, will further elevate India’s role in global AI advancements.
Meera Rangarajan is Program Director, Power-aaS Product Management, IBM Power, India Systems Development Lab (ISDL), IBM
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of NDTV Profit or its editorial team.
