Top Women of AI

Top Women of AI: Global Executive Womens Network https://www.linkedin.com/groups/158310/

October 12, 2024

Top Women of AI: As AI reshapes the future of work, equity in design and delivery has never been more critical. Women are proving essential not only for driving technological breakthroughs but also for fostering fairer, more ethical, and sustainable AI solutions.

Recognizing and Amplifying Impact

Despite women representing 47% of the IT workforce, they are misrepresented as only 22% of AI professionals. These numbers fail to capture the real influence women have had—and continue to have—in AI.

Combatting Bias and Building Inclusive Innovation

We must combat biased metrics by accurately representing women’s contributions. Highlighting their impact will drive innovation, fairer solutions, and a more inclusive workspace. Let’s move beyond simply asking for room at the table—women are already at the table. What’s needed is amplification and empowerment to ensure AI reaches its full potential through diverse perspectives.

Note that we are not saying make room for the women at the table, we are saying, wake up! We are already there, so include us in statistics and more importantly industrial transformation!

Impact Areas Where Top Women of AI are Transforming AI

Women have always been integral to the development of AI, from early programming pioneers to today’s innovators driving ethical and human-centered AI solutions. Although women represent 47% of the IT workforce, only 22% of AI professionals are reported as female—a statistic that inaccurately reflects their ongoing contributions and leadership roles in the field. Instead of asking how to get more women into AI, we should question the blindness of such statistics that fail to capture the women already shaping AI’s future.

Combatting Bias and Promoting Inclusion: Top Women of AI

Women like Dr Joy Buolamwini, Best-Selling Author of Unmasking AI, the first African American Woman to receive a PhD in Computer Science from MIT.

Timnit Gebru, Founder & Executive Director at The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) have exposed algorithmic biases in facial recognition and AI systems, demonstrating how unbalanced datasets can perpetuate discrimination. Through the Algorithmic Justice League and Black in AI, they advocate for fairness, holding organizations accountable for responsible AI practices

Women Are Already Driving AI: Shifting the Narrative

Though headlines often suggest women are missing from AI, the truth is far more dynamic—women have been and continue to shape the future of AI in both academia and industry. From robotics to mental health diagnostics and algorithmic fairness, AI-powered tools owe much of their success to the leadership, ingenuity, and persistence of these women.

Amplify, Don’t Search: Women Are Already Here

The challenge isn’t their absence but the lack of recognition for their impact. It’s time to shift the narrative from “Where are the women in AI?” to “How can we amplify the women already leading AI forward?”

Building an Inclusive AI Ecosystem

Through greater visibility and recognition, we can correct biased reporting, foster diverse leadership, and create a more inclusive, innovative, and equitable AI ecosystem.

Fei-Fei Li, AI Researcher & Professor, Stanford University was one of the first leaders in deep learning AI and language modeling, with AI4ALL demonstrate how diverse leadership fosters innovation. Fortune describes her as the most powerful Godmother of AI.

Rana el Kaliouby, Rana el Kaliouby’s journey to becoming a trailblazer in AI is as much about overcoming societal barriers as it is about technical innovation. As Co-Founder of Affectiva alongside Dr. Rosalyn Picard, el Kaliouby pioneered Emotion AI—a technology that reads human emotions through facial and vocal cues, now transforming mental health diagnostics and automotive safety systems.

Challenging Norms and Creating Space for Representation

In an industry dominated by male and Western perspectives, el Kaliouby’s identity as a brown, Muslim woman made her an unconventional leader. Yet, she challenged norms, securing a seat at the table in boardrooms and conferences where she was not traditionally welcomed.

Human-Centered Innovation and Thought Leadership

Her work has pushed AI beyond functional tasks, embedding emotional intelligence to ensure technology serves people in meaningful ways. Recognized on Fortune’s 40 Under 40 and among the Top Women in Tech, she inspires future generations of women and marginalized communities to lead in AI.

Now, as host of the “Pioneers of AI” podcast and general partner at Blue Tulip Ventures, Rana shapes the future of ethical AI investment and entrepreneurship. Her story proves that diverse voices aren’t just needed—they are essential for building inclusive, impactful AI solutions.

Ensuring Product Relevance through Diversity

Diversity is not just a moral imperative—it is essential for AI to remain relevant, effective, and impactful. AI systems are only as good as the data and perspectives that shape them. When diverse voices are included—across gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic backgrounds—AI solutions become more accurate, inclusive, and reflective of real-world needs. Without diversity, algorithms risk perpetuating bias and exclusion, limiting their reliability and value.

Daphne Koller: Transforming AI in Education and Healthcare

Daphne Koller’s work demonstrates how artificial intelligence can revolutionize both education and medicine, two sectors where AI has the potential to deliver profound societal benefits. As co-founder of Coursera and founder of Insitro, Koller exemplifies the power of AI-driven innovation, using her expertise to democratize learning and enhance biomedical research.

Futureproofing Industry with New Inspired, Diverse talent.

For instance, studies reveal that facial recognition systems trained on non-diverse datasets perform poorly for individuals with darker skin tones, leading to misidentifications and unequal outcomes. Diverse teams, such as those led by pioneers like Joy Buolamwini and Timnit Gebru, are essential in identifying and correcting such flaws, ensuring AI serves all users equitably. In a world where AI powers healthcare, finance, governance, and education, ensuring diversity guarantees that these systems meet the needs of the entire population, not just a subset. Simply put, diverse leadership drives innovation, improves performance, and ensures AI remains relevant and trustworthy in addressing global challenges.

Heena Purohit: Building Pathways for Women Leaders in AI at IBM Watson

Heena Purohit, a Senior Product Manager at IBM Watson, is committed to expanding opportunities for women in AI. Her work combines technology leadership with advocacy for gender diversity, ensuring that women not only enter but excel in AI roles. Through various initiatives and mentorship programs, she actively contributes to building a more inclusive AI workforce, equipping women with the skills needed to thrive in this rapidly evolving field.

Creating Opportunities for Women to Thrive in AI

To embrace the diversity that already exists in AI, we must take deliberate actions to recognize, amplify, and integrate the contributions of underrepresented groups, especially women and marginalized communities.

By amplifying existing contributions, correcting biases in reporting, and creating inclusive work environments, we can fully embrace the diverse AI that already exists. Doing so will not only enhance innovation and performance but also ensure that AI solutions are ethical, relevant, and effective for everyone.

At IBM, Heena Purohit, Director of AI Startups @ Microsoft for Startups | LinkedIn Top AI Voice | 3x Top 10 Women in AI Award Recipient helps lead “AI for Her“, an initiative that focuses on breaking barriers for women in technology. This program:

Women are Leading with Ethics and its changing the world

Women in AI are championing ethics by addressing bias, fairness, and accountability in AI systems, and their leadership is reshaping industries and society. Through advocacy, policy-making, and innovation, these women are ensuring that AI is built responsibly, reflecting the diversity of the real world while preventing harm caused by algorithmic bias. Their efforts are driving the creation of inclusive and trustworthy technologies that empower communities globally.

Dr. Rumman Chowdhury, US Science Envoy, Artificial Intelligence, CEO, Humane Intelligence, TIME 100 AI has emerged as a global leader in AI ethics leading initiatives to embed responsible AI practices within organizations, focusing on ethical governance frameworks, bias mitigation, and transparency. Her efforts ensured that AI systems aligned with societal values and avoided perpetuating inequalities.

The Path Forward: Why Equity in AI Matters

Involving women in AI isn’t just about fairness—it’s essential for developing innovative, unbiased, and future-ready technologies. As these leaders demonstrate, women bring critical perspectives that drive better outcomes, from tackling algorithmic bias to improving product design.

By empowering more women in AI, the industry can close talent gaps, foster sustainable innovation, and create technologies that serve all of society. The efforts of these 25 influential women illustrate how diversity leads to meaningful change, benefiting industries like healthcare, robotics, finance, and education.

The Top Women in AI: Transforming the Industry

Academia and Research

Fei-Fei Li – Stanford University, AI4ALL
Daphne Koller – Coursera, Insitro

Industry Leaders

Joy Buolamwini – Algorithmic Justice League
Timnit Gebru – Black in AI
Rana el Kaliouby – Affectiva
Shivon Zilis – Neuralink, OpenAI
Anna Patterson – Gradient Ventures
Claire Delaunay – Nvidia
Lisa Su – AMD
Kamelia Aryafar – Google

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Daniela Rus – MIT CSAIL

AI Startups and Investment

Anna Patterson – Gradient Ventures
Supports early-stage AI startups through venture capital investments.
Falon Fatemi – Node.io
Built AI-driven platforms for CRM, later acquired by SugarCRM.

Technology and Hardware Development

These leaders focus on advancing AI computing power and integrating AI into essential technologies.

AI in Consulting and Transformation

Jessica Kosmowski – Deloitte
Deborah Golden – Deloitte
Kim Porter – Deloitte

AI Ethics and Responsible Innovation

Joy Buolamwini – Algorithmic Justice League
Timnit Gebru – Black in AI
Dr Rumman Chowdhury – Accenture
Meredith Whittaker – AI Now Institute

AI-Powered Computing and Infrastructure

Lisa Su – AMD
Drives advancements in AI-powered processors and high-performance computing.
Kamelia Aryafar – Google
Develops machine learning solutions for retail technologies.

AI Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Claire Delaunay – Nvidia
Leads the development of AI-powered robotics and autonomous machines.

AI Startups and Investment

Falon Fatemi – Node.io
Anna Patterson – Gradient Ventures

Data Governance and Analytics

Poornima Ramaswamy – Qlik
Peggy Tsai – BigID

Emotion and Human-Centered AI

Rana el Kaliouby – Affectiva Developed Emotion AI, transforming automotive safety and mental health diagnostics.

Healthcare

Daphne Koller – Coursera, Insitro
Dina Zielinski – IBM Research

Public Advocacy and AI Thought Leadership

Dr Sarah-Jayne Gratton – Technology Evangelist. Co-author of Playing God with Artificial Intelligence.
Heena Purohit – IBM Watson

Scientific Publishing and Research

Catherine Adenle – Elsevier

Telecommunications, IoT, and Marketing

Mariah Scott – Skyward, Verizon
April Rudin – The Rudin Group (at Money20/20 Las Vegas 2024)

These leaders showcase the power of equity in AI—not just as an ethical imperative, but as a strategic advantage that ensures AI serves everyone.

Combatting Bias and Building Inclusive Innovation

Impact Areas Where Top Women of AI are Transforming AI

Combatting Bias and Promoting Inclusion: Top Women of AI

Women Are Already Driving AI: Shifting the Narrative