By Etop Ekanem

LAGOS — Women must move beyond being users of artificial intelligence and take a more active role in shaping the development, governance and deployment of the technology, experts have said.
The experts spoke at the Women in AI Executive Forum organised by TeKnowledge in Lagos on Tuesday, where senior women executives and emerging professionals examined the growing influence of AI on workplaces, businesses and society.
The forum, held under the theme, “Why Women’s Voices Matter in the Age of AI,” brought together more than 30 participants in a mentor-mentee format to discuss the leadership skills and responsibilities required in an increasingly AI-driven world.
President and Chief Executive Officer of TeKnowledge, Aileen Allkins, said women must develop a better understanding of how AI works and how decisions made by the technology can affect people and organisations.
“We need to move away from just knowing how to use AI to understanding how it is built, the kind of data AI uses and how decisions are made,” Allkins said.
She said women did not have to become engineers or technical experts before they could contribute to conversations around AI.
According to her, curiosity, confidence and a willingness to ask questions would enable more women to participate in discussions on AI policy, data, governance, risk and its wider impact.
“Women have a unique opportunity because very few people know everything about AI right now. We can research, learn and put ourselves in the room and have a voice,” she said.
Also speaking at the forum, Chief Growth and AI Officer for Microsoft Middle East and Africa, Ola Williams, urged women leaders to move beyond experimenting with AI tools and become more involved in decisions on how the technology is deployed in their organisations.
Williams, who joined Allkins for a session titled “Leading in the Age of AI: Why Diverse Leadership Creates Better Outcomes,” said the focus should be on using AI responsibly to deliver business outcomes.
“The question is not whether we are all using AI today. It is more about leading the conversation within an organisation and making AI work in a way that ethically drives business outcomes,” she said.
Williams also stressed the need for established women leaders to prepare younger professionals for a workplace in which AI will increasingly influence careers and opportunities.
Participants at the forum identified curiosity, courage, judgement and discernment as some of the qualities leaders would need to navigate the opportunities and risks associated with AI.
They also emphasised that the growing use of AI would not remove the need for human judgement and accountability.
According to the participants, leaders must be able to question AI-generated recommendations, understand their implications and determine whether they are consistent with organisational values and objectives.
The mentor-mentee format provided an opportunity for experienced women leaders to share their experiences with emerging professionals, while encouraging the younger participants to develop the confidence and knowledge needed to participate in future AI-related decisions.
Allkins urged the participants to translate the discussions into practical action by taking steps to deepen their understanding of AI.
She encouraged them to learn more about AI policy, examine how the technology is being used in their organisations and ask questions about the data and processes behind AI tools.
The forum is part of a wider series of engagements planned by TeKnowledge to encourage greater participation by women in discussions around AI and its impact.
Allkins said that despite the rapid development of AI, human qualities such as creativity, empathy, judgement and intuition would remain important.
She urged women to ensure that they were not only prepared for the changes AI would bring, but were also part of the process of shaping the technology and its impact on society.