Tech's She-conomy: Navigating the Gender Gap in AI and Beyond

This is your Women in Business podcast. Welcome to Women in Business, where today I’m diving straight into how women are navigating the current economic landscape, especially within the fast-evolving tech industry. It’s a world where innovation meets challenge, and every day, women are shaping the future in ways that are powerful, visible, and entirely transformative. First, let’s get real about representation. Recent data from CompTIA and the Nash Squared Digital Leadership Report reveals that while women account for about 27 percent of the US tech workforce, they hold only around 14 percent of global tech leadership positions. That’s a small but steadily growing number. For context, only about 17 percent of tech companies today have a female CEO. Despite this, progress since 2015 is clear—women leaders in tech have almost doubled. But the gender gap persists, with many experts, including voices from McKinsey & Company, projecting it could take 20 to 30 years to reach parity if current trends continue. The payoff? Closing the gender gap in tech could add up to $12 trillion to global GDP by 2025. Moving deeper, let’s talk about pay equity and advancement. Even though tech offers median annual wages double that of most other industries, women are still paid less than men in 62 percent of tech jobs, and female CEOs at startups earn on average $20,000 less than their male counterparts. Encouragingly, women are promoted at a slightly higher rate than men, but 53 percent of women report that climbing to senior leadership remains tougher for them than for men. In roles like data science and systems analysis, women are making more inroads, with nearly half of data scientist roles held by women. A third point is the rise of artificial intelligence and how it’s changing requirements for the tech workforce. According to Skillsoft, 75 percent of businesses plan to increase their use of AI by 2028, but 60 percent of women in tech don’t use AI in their current roles. Those who do report notably higher productivity and streamlined work processes. Experts stress that closing the AI gender participation gap is essential, not just for equity but also to prevent women from falling further behind as industries evolve. Fourth, mentorship and sponsorship are more critical than ever. WomenTech Network and other advocates show that career mentorship boosts skill, confidence, and retention, while sponsorship opens doors to visibility and promotion. These strategies don’t just help women rise—they double leadership progression and shrink bias, driving real change in job satisfaction and workplace diversity. Lastly, it’s impossible to ignore burnout and retention. The pandemic brought remote work and flexibility, but it also led to increased stress and significant attrition among women in tech. Many cite stalled career momentum—especially mid-career—due to inadequate workplace support for caregiving and flexible arrangements. Solving this “missing middle” is key to This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.