Beyond the 22%: Leading the AI Revolution with Synergy
Only 22% of AI professionals globally are women.
This statistic is often framed as a pipeline problem, but in reality, it reflects how we define digital leadership.
In 2026, digital empowerment is no longer about mastering a single technical skill. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science highlights a new direction: synergizing AI, social science, STEM, and finance to build inclusive futures for women and girls.
Why Skills Alone Are Not Enough
Artificial intelligence is shaping healthcare, education, climate solutions, and cultural industries. But technology does not exist in a vacuum. Without ethical awareness, social understanding, and access to funding, even the most advanced tools can deepen inequality instead of reducing it.
This is why women’s underrepresentation in AI matters. Not only in numbers, but in perspectives.
The Rise of the Multi-Hyphenate Leader
Today’s most impactful digital leaders are:
▪ technologists who understand human behaviour
▪ scientists who can explain social impact
▪ creatives who grasp data and finance
▪ entrepreneurs who think ethically
These multi-hyphenate profiles are not exceptions; they are the future.
How DIAMOND Supports This Shift
DIAMOND Empower focuses on helping women and girls move from digital participation to digital leadership. The project supports learning that connects:
▪ digital skills with real-world impact
▪ technology with inclusion and ethics
▪ innovation with sustainability
Rather than training people to simply use tools, DIAMOND encourages understanding how technology shapes opportunities, power, and creative freedom.
From Learning to Leading
Closing the gender gap in AI doesn’t mean pushing everyone into the same role. It means valuing diverse pathways and enabling women to bring all their skills into digital spaces.
Because inclusive futures are built through synergy.
Funding Agency: European Research Executive Agency (REA)
