It’s Time for Women to Build AI, Not Just Talk About It
For every new technology that emerges, a predictable pattern unfolds: men jump in, start building, and figure out how to monetize. Women, on the other hand, tend to hesitate - engaging in discussions about the technology’s ethics, impact, and potential harms. Then, when the technology reaches mainstream adoption, women look around, see that the space is overwhelmingly male-dominated, and start asking why they weren’t included.
We’ve seen this cycle play out in every revolutionary tech movement, and we are seeing it again with AI. But women aren’t being locked out; they’re standing at the door debating whether it should even exist. Meanwhile, men are already inside, setting the rules, defining the future, and cashing the checks.
It’s time to break the cycle!
How Women Get Left Behind in Tech
Instead of being in the trenches, building models, launching AI products, and shaping the future of automation, many women are sitting on the sidelines, discussing whether AI is ethical, sustainable, or too capitalist. These are valid concerns, but here’s the kicker: ethics panels don’t own technology. The people who build it do.
Men aren’t waiting for a philosophical consensus before jumping in. They’re creating AI-powered businesses, developing custom models, and embedding themselves in the infrastructure of the next digital revolution. Meanwhile, women are still arguing about whether AI should even exist.
And then? By the time they’re ready to engage, the industry is already dominated by men.
The Problem with "Women in AI" (and Why We Need a Different Narrative)
Just like "Women in Web3" (guilty!), "Women in AI” has been used as a rallying cry, but let’s be honest: it often just means women talking about AI, not women building AI. Panels, conferences, and initiatives focus on "increasing representation," but what’s actually being built? Where are the women-led AI products, AI startups, and AI-driven businesses?
Representation doesn’t come from talking about a category; it comes from owning it. If women want to shape the future of AI, they need to stop waiting for a seat at the table and start building the damn table!
Imagine if, instead of sitting on panels about the future of women in AI, women were launching brands, businesses, and products.
Building vs. Moralizing: A Shift in Behavior
It’s not that ethics don’t matter. They do. But ethics are a conversation that happens alongside innovation, not in place of it. The problem isn’t AI itself; the problem is who’s controlling it. And the only way to change that is to be the ones building it.
So, if you’re a woman interested in AI, ask yourself:
Am I discussing AI, or am I creating AI?
Am I waiting for permission, or am I taking action?
Am I reacting to technology, or am I shaping it?
Because here’s the bottom line: the people who build the future get to define it. And it’s time for women to stop waiting and start becoming a part of the AI revolution.
Let's go! 🚀
