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AI is transforming our workplaces faster than we ever imagined. It’s reshaping how we work, who does the work and even the skills required to stay relevant.
For executive women and those aspiring to lead, AI isn’t just another tech trend…it’s a leadership issue. And one that comes with a critical risk: If we don’t act now, AI could shrink the leadership pipeline for women before it ever begins.
The Risk: Early-Career Roles Are Vanishing First
Jessica Tamsedge, CEO of Dentsu Creative UK, recently warned about a sobering truth: while women hold nearly 50% of entry-level roles, they make up just 29% of senior leadership positions.
AI threatens to automate many of those early-career roles where women traditionally enter the workforce. If those jobs disappear, and we don’t replace them with tech-enabled pathways or advancement opportunities, what happens to the next generation of women leaders?
The result…fewer women entering the pipeline and even fewer rising to the executive ranks.
It’s Not Just About Jobs…It’s About Power
AI itself isn’t the villain. The danger lies in who is shaping it.
Right now, AI development is male-dominated. Fewer women at those tables means fewer voices influencing how these tools are built and applied…and more risks of bias being coded into the systems we all use.
If women are underrepresented both in the jobs AI is designed to augment and in the leadership roles guiding its deployment, the leadership gap doesn’t just hold steady, it grows.
The Opportunity: Future-Proofing Women Leaders
Here’s the good news: AI also holds enormous potential to accelerate equity…if we prepare intentionally.
Here’s how we can change the story:
Upskill Strategically
Invest in learning AI-adjacent skills-data literacy, decision intelligence, and tech-enabled leadership. You don’t need to be an engineer to leverage AI effectively. The leaders who can translate between human needs and technology will be indispensable.
Advocate For Women In AI Governance
From boards to innovation committees, we must ensure women are present in the rooms deciding how AI is used. This isn’t just about fairness, it’s about ethics, representation and building systems that work for everyone.
Sponsor and Mentor Early-Career Women
If AI is eliminating traditional “entry points”, we must create new ones. Sponsorship matters more than ever. Senior leaders can actively pull women into strategic projects, tech-enabled roles and innovation-focused initiatives.
Reframe Leadership Readiness
AI is changing what leadership looks like. Emotional intelligence, adaptability and strategic vision will be even more valuable than technical skills alone. These are strengths women already excel in…and they should be positioned as such.
This Is Our Trailblazer Moment
AI is moving fast. But so are we.
Executive women have always thrived by navigating complexity and forging new paths where none existed. This moment is no different. The question isn’t whether AI will change the leadership landscape…it already has. The real question is, will we lead the change or be left behind by it?
The choice is ours. And it starts now. With bold leadership, intentional strategy and women who refuse to be sidelined by the future they’re here to shape.