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When Chanel’s CEO, Leena Nair, asked an AI took to show an image of her leadership team, the result was all men in suits.
It’s wasn’t malicious. It was mathematical.
AI pulled from a world that still equates “leadership” with “male.”
But here’s the real story: this isn’t just about who appears in a photo. It’s about what happens when women’s presence, power, and potential are misrepresented, or misunderstood, by the very systems shaping our future.
When AI Reflects—and Reinforces—Gender Bias
Bias has gone digital. The problem with AI isn’t that it’s creative. It’s that it’s convincing.
When AI “gets women wrong,” it reinforces the same outdated patterns we’ve been fighting for decades:
- Women framed as assistants, not executives
- Confidence mistaken for aggression
- Diversity represented for tokenism rather than truth
As someone who works with executive women and emerging leaders, I’ve seen this bias play out long before technology entered the room. Now…it’s coded into the data.
Even the design platforms many of us use daily, like Canva or stock image libraries, tend to overrepresent men in business visuals or swing the other way, showing “diverse” groups that don’t reflect real-world inclusion. Both distort reality.
The Real Cost of AI Getting Women Wrong
When women are misrepresented by algorithms, the consequences aren’t just visual. They are psychological and professional.
If the systems we interact with daily keep showing male-dominated versions of success, it subtly reinforces an old, dangerous story: you don’t belong here.
That affects hiring, media coverage, brand imagery, and even leadership confidence. Because how can you “own your presence” if the world keeps editing you out of the frame?
Four Ways to Lead When Technology Gets It Wrong
The question is how to lead when technology gets it wrong?
- Stay Curious…And Critical-Don’t assume AI-generated content is neutral. Question what you see and teach your teams to do the same. Curiosity is the first defense against bias.
- Humanize The Data-Every algorithm is a mirror. Make sure the people feeding it represent your workforce, your customers and your values. Inclusion must be intentional, not accidental.
- Champion Authentic Representation-If you lead a company, campaign or community, insist that images, stories and language reflect reality. Visibility is power.
- Use AI As A Tool…Not A Truth-AI should amplify your voice, not define it. Use it to enhance creativity, not to replace human perspective.
The Leadership Lesson: Redefining Representation
There is a leadership lesson to be found here. AI didn’t invent bias, but if we’re not careful, it will automate it. That’s why women in leadership must sit a both tables…the decision table and the design table.
We can’t lead the future if we’re not seen in it.
So the next time technology gets women wrong, remember: it’s not just an error to fix…it’s an opportunity to redefine.
Because when we demand visibility, accuracy and equity in how leadership is represented, we don’t just rewrite the code…we rewrite the culture.
What’s one way you can use your influence to make sure women are fully seen…in your workplace, your imagery or your leadership story?
