It’s essential to approach artificial intelligence with a critical eye, recognizing its potential to both challenge and reinforce societal biases. “As we integrate AI into the workplace, continuous efforts must be made to make sure these technologies are designed and implemented in a way that promotes equity. This includes diverse teams in AI development, transparent AI models, and ongoing assessment of AI’s impact on workplace equality,” says Angel Vossough, a highly credentialed data scientist who is co-founder and CEO of BetterAI, a Silicon Valley-based AI startup company.
Vossough believes that, through thoughtful application of AI, we have a unique opportunity to shape a more inclusive future for all. “AI has the potential to significantly advance gender equality in the workplace by offering unbiased data analysis and decision-making processes,” Vossough says, noting that, for platforms like DiverseUp, AI can analyze vast amounts of data regarding corporate policies, culture and practices to identify biases and recommend improvements. “More than 50% of women in tech leave their positions mid-career, making retention of female talent one of the big challenges for tech companies. AI can assist in developing more equitable hiring practices, identifying gender pay gaps, and suggesting corrective actions. AI can also help in creating personalized career development plans for women, taking into account their unique circumstances and preferences, thereby promoting a more inclusive workplace environment and increasing retention.”
AI-driven analytics can help organizations identify patterns in hiring and turnover, and predict shortcomings in their recruitment processes — enabling them to make data-driven adjustments. Organizations can employ AI to design job descriptions that are neutral and appealing to all genders, analyze resume data without bias and standardize interviews. “However,” Vossough notes, “post-recruitment retention of female employees is as important as recruitment and is a challenge for tech companies. For example, unlike men, women display a pattern called ‘returnship,’ where they leave their careers to focus on family life and return to the workforce a few years later. These qualified candidates are often overlooked by recruiters because of this gap in work history. By training AI on this known pattern, AI can identify and target these potential employees for recruitment and retraining.”
Vossough anticipates the next five years will see the impact of AI and technology on women in the workplace increase significantly. “We can expect more sophisticated AI tools for career development, networking and mentorship, specifically designed with women’s needs in mind.” She also believes AI will play an important role in eliminating biases from recruiting processes, which can help more women enter tech role, and, as remote and flexible working becomes more prevalent, AI will help women balance their professional and personal lives more effectively.
At the individual level, Vossough sees AI benefitting women in their career search. “Women can leverage AI in their career search by using AI-powered job recommendation engines that align with their career goals, personal values and work-life balance needs,” she says, pointing out that AI can analyze their profiles, skills and preferences against job listings to recommend the best fits. Additionally, AI can provide insights into company cultures and practices, helping women choose employers based on their personal preferences, such as flexible working hours, maternity leave, and career development programs. “AI can empower women to make informed decisions when it comes to career choices.”
Furthermore, she continues, AI can offer personalized learning and development recommendations, identify skill gaps and help with upskilling or reskilling in their chosen field. “It can suggest courses, workshops or assignments to bridge these gaps. It can also help with networking by connecting women with mentors, peers and professional communities that can support their career advancement, using matching algorithms to find the best mentor-mentee relationships.”
With its team of experienced AI researchers, data scientists, machine-learning and software engineers, BetterAI provides a variety of cutting-edge AI services and products to help businesses drive innovation and efficiency.
Speak Your Mind
You must be logged in to post a comment.