The pursuit for gender equity has been a longstanding global challenge, marked by both progress and persistent obstacles.
Historically, women have faced systemic barriers in various sectors, including education, employment, and technology. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) presents both opportunities and challenges in this realm. While AI has the potential to bridge gender gaps, it also risks perpetuating existing biases if not implemented thoughtfully.
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AI's Potential to Bridge Gender Gaps
AI holds the potential to advance gender equity in various sectors. One of the most impactful applications of AI is in enhancing workplace inclusion. AI-driven recruitment and promotion processes can help mitigate unconscious biases, ensuring that hiring decisions are based on merit rather than gendered assumptions. By analyzing patterns in hiring data, AI can identify and rectify disparities, fostering a more inclusive work environment.
In the education sector, AI-powered platforms provide personalized learning experiences, making education more accessible to women globally. Adaptive learning technologies can cater to individual learning styles, breaking down barriers that have historically limited women's access to quality education. This is particularly beneficial in regions where cultural or logistical constraints have hindered female participation in higher education.
AI is also revolutionizing female healthcare by improving diagnostic tools and enabling personalized treatments. Many health conditions affecting women, such as maternal health complications and reproductive diseases, have historically been under-researched. AI can analyze vast amounts of medical data to identify trends, predict health risks, and offer tailored treatment options, ensuring that women's specific health needs are addressed more effectively.
Despite its potential, AI can reinforce and even exacerbate existing gender biases. A study by the Berkeley Haas Center for Equity, Gender, and Leadership analyzed 133 AI systems and found that approximately 44% exhibited gender bias. Such biases can manifest in several ways, from perpetuating stereotypes in language models to disadvantaging women in hiring and lending decisions.
For instance, AI-powered resume screening tools may prioritize male candidates if trained on historical hiring data that favors men. Similarly, biased algorithms in financial institutions could result in women receiving fewer loan approvals or higher interest rates.
Dr. Atsuko Okuda, Head of the ITU’s Regional Office for the Asia Pacific, noted that the gender digital divide is a real concern in the Asia Pacific, particularly for girls and young women.
To achieve inclusive and sustainable development we need collective and concerted efforts. A one-size-fits-all approach will have limited efficacy. We have several targeted interventions tailored specifically to achieve this goal.
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The Femme-Focused Impact of AI
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into society, it is shaping women's experiences in both positive and negative ways. While AI-driven solutions are helping combat gender-based discrimination and violence, there are also growing concerns about its misuse.
The rise of digital communication has led to an increase in online harassment, disproportionately targeting women. In Pakistan, Nighat Dad founded the Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) in 2012 to address cyber harassment and online abuse. By 2016, DRF launched a cyber-harassment helpline, which has since handled over 16,000 complaints and provided pro bono legal assistance to victims. This initiative has been crucial in offering support to women facing digital threats, ensuring they have access to legal recourse and psychological help.
The misuse of AI-generated deepfake content has become a growing concern, particularly for women. In South Korea, cases of deepfake-related sex crimes have surged, with over 800 incidents investigated in the first nine months of 2024—a significant rise from just 156 cases in 2021. Many of these cases involve the non-consensual creation and distribution of explicit AI-generated images, which severely impact victims' privacy and dignity. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations, AI-driven detection tools, and stronger enforcement measures to protect women's digital safety.
In the Philippines, women face unique digital safety challenges. The country’s low media literacy rate makes its citizens particularly vulnerable to online threats, including cyber harassment and digital violence. In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review Asia, KD Dizon, Head of Globe Business, expanded on this, noting that online safety should be top of mind, especially with Filipinos being such active mobile and internet users. She mentioned that using cybersecurity as a guardrail is critical.
My experience as a woman in tech has reinforced the importance of empathy, collaboration, and inclusive leadership.
Several initiatives demonstrate AI’s potential to tackle digital harassment holistically. Programs such as Troll Patrol, the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA), SafeHER, AymurAI, SOF.IA, and Tara use AI to monitor and counteract harmful online behaviors. These initiatives not only enhance content moderation but also empower individuals through awareness and digital safety education.
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Initiatives and Partnerships Promoting Gender-Responsive AI
Recognizing the challenges and opportunities AI presents, various organizations and institutions are working to ensure AI is developed and used in ways that promote gender equity.
To bridge the gender gap in AI leadership, UN Women launched the Asia-Pacific AI School in March 2025. The school aims to equip women with the skills and knowledge needed to actively participate in AI development and policy generation. By training female leaders on AI ethics, coding, and policy advocacy, the program aims to ensure that gender perspectives remain central to AI innovation, ultimately fostering more inclusive and fair technology.
In Singapore, the SG Her Empowerment (SHE) organization is actively addressing the intersection of AI and gender norms, recognizing both the potential and risks that AI poses in digital spaces. Founded in 2022, SHE is dedicated to empowering women and girls through community engagement, advocacy, and partnerships. A core focus of its efforts is tackling online harm, which has been exacerbated by AI-driven technologies. To support victims of online abuse, SHE established SHECARES@SCWO, the country's first dedicated support center for victims that have experienced harm online.
As AI technologies evolve, their misuse has contributed to the amplification of misogyny and gendered disinformation in digital spaces. Moreover, AI-driven recommendation algorithms perpetuate gender biases by amplifying misogynistic content and normalizing harmful narratives. AI-powered social media bots have also been exploited to spread hate speech and incite cyberbullying at an unprecedented scale.
In response, Singapore has updated tits Online Safety Act and Online Criminal Harms Act. Although, as technology continues to evolve, more measures are needed to address the rapid emergence of AI-related threats. Recently, the government announced the establishment of an Online Safety Commission (OSC), signaling its commitment to tackling AI-driven online threats, including deepfakes.
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Ensuring AI Promotes Gender Equity
For AI to be a force of good in gender equity, it must be developed and implemented with intentional inclusivity and ethical considerations. Several key areas need to be addressed to ensure AI serves as a tool for progress rather than regression.
To prevent AI from perpetuating existing biases, it is essential to involve diverse voices in its development. Encouraging more women to enter AI-related fields, from data science to ethics and policymaking, will help create more representative and equitable AI systems.
In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review Asia, Vikram Sinha, President Director and Chief Executive Officer of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (Indosat), elaborated on this stance from a refreshing male perspective, especially in light of the company’s transition to an AI techco.
We will harness AI’s potential to drive the growth of secondary cities, enhance the digital economy in rural areas, empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), advance agricultural technology, and promote women's empowerment, all contributing to inclusive economic growth and digital transformation.
Governments and international organizations must establish strong regulations to prevent AI from being misused in ways that harm women. This includes enforcing laws that target the creation and spread of non-consensual deepfake content, implementing transparency requirements for AI systems, and ensuring AI applications align with human rights standards.
Raising awareness about AI's potential biases and educating the public on digital literacy are critical steps in ensuring AI is used responsibly. By empowering individuals with the knowledge to recognize and challenge AI-driven discrimination, society can foster a more balanced and fair technological landscape. AI education initiatives should highlight both the benefits and risks, equipping individuals—especially women—with the tools they need to navigate the AI-driven world effectively.
Through these measures, AI can move beyond its current limitations and become a powerful tool for accelerating gender equity in the digital age.
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Great feature!