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Women in AI: Pioneering Innovation and Shaping the Future
Honouring the women breaking barriers, shaping AI innovation, and driving Africa’s technological revolution.
Sarah Njamu
March 6th, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
If you haven't read our last newsletter, you're missing out on two groundbreaking stories that are shaping Africa's AI future!
📢 Zambia’s National AI Strategy: A Game-Changer?
Zambia has set an ambitious roadmap to become an AI-driven nation. But can they deliver? Our deep dive explored:
✅ AI as a force for economic empowerment
✅ AI-driven public services & governance transformation
✅ Infrastructure challenges and ethical AI regulations
✅ The potential for Zambia to lead Africa’s AI revolution
We asked the big questions: Will this strategy truly benefit all Zambians, or will challenges hold it back? Don’t just skim the headlines—this is a must-read!
🌍 Africa’s AI Revolution: Homegrown Language Models Rise!
For too long, AI innovation has been led by global tech giants—but Africa is fighting back! Our last issue spotlighted five African AI pioneers building language models and AI tools that speak our languages, understand our cultures, and serve our people.
From Lelapa AI's InkubaLM (supporting African languages) to AfroLM, Lesan AI, and CDIAL, these innovations are breaking barriers in AI for Africans, by Africans.
🤔 Are we doing enough to support African AI? Read the full article and find out how YOU can be part of this movement!
👉 Don’t just hear about it—experience the full breakdown! Go back and read our last newsletter in full. The future of AI in Africa is happening now, and you don’t want to be left behind.
🔗 Read the full article now & join the conversation!
Honouring the Women Who Are Redefining AI & Breaking Barriers
March is Women’s Month—a time to celebrate, reflect, and acknowledge the immense contributions of women across industries. Today, we shine a light on women in AI—the pioneers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and advocates who are pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and technology.
AI has the potential to revolutionise industries, transform societies, and change lives. But for far too long, women have been underrepresented in the AI space, facing challenges of bias, exclusion, and lack of recognition. Yet, despite these hurdles, women have continued to lead, innovate, and shape the AI landscape in powerful ways.
🔥 Women Leading the AI Revolution: Who Are the Trailblazers?
Below, we celebrate some of the most influential women in AI today, highlighting their groundbreaking work and impact on the field.
Women in AI: Pioneers Shaping the Future
1️⃣ Sarah Luyele Njamu (Zambia and South Africa) – Championing Africa’s AI Revolution
🔬 Who is she?
Sarah Luyele Njamu is an AI entrepreneur and thought leader driving Africa’s digital transformation. As Group CEO of Compu-Connect Education,she spearheads the adoption of AI-driven solutions and other smart technologies across Africa, driving innovation and transformative business growth. She holds an MBA and an International Artificial Intelligence Professional Certification from the UK.
🌟 Why is she a trailblazer?
✅ Played a key role in shaping Zambia’s National AI Strategy, ensuring responsible AI adoption.
✅ Founder of the Future of AI in Africa Global Summit, uniting leaders to shape Africa’s AI agenda.
✅ Uses her platforms—“AI Chat with Sarah” (Zambia Daily Mail), Africa Tech Conversation Podcast, and The African AI Narrative newsletter—to simplify AI for businesses and citizens.
✅ A sought-after international speaker and a widely recognized voice in AI, featured across global and local media.
2️⃣ Fei-Fei Li (China/USA) – The Visionary Behind AI & Computer Vision
🔬 Who is she?
Dr. Fei-Fei Li is one of the most influential figures in AI today. As a professor at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute, her work in computer vision and deep learning has shaped modern AI.
🌟 Why is she a trailblazer?
- She pioneered ImageNet, one of the most critical datasets for AI, which transformed machine learning.
- She advocates for ethical AI, ensuring AI is used for good, not harm.
- She co-founded AI4ALL, a nonprofit that empowers young women and underrepresented minorities in AI.
3️⃣ Timnit Gebru (Ethiopia/USA) – The AI Ethics Warrior
🔬 Who is she?
Dr. Timnit Gebru is a computer scientist, activist, and one of the leading voices in AI ethics. Born in Ethiopia, she has made significant contributions to understanding AI bias, particularly in facial recognition.
🌟 Why is she a trailblazer?
- She co-authored a groundbreaking paper exposing racial and gender biases in AI.
- She was a key researcher at Google AI, before speaking out against bias in AI models.
- She founded the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), which focuses on AI that is ethical, unbiased, and inclusive.
4️⃣ Joy Buolamwini (Ghana/USA) – Fighting Bias in AI
🔬 Who is she?
Joy Buolamwini is a computer scientist, poet, and activist known for her work in uncovering bias in AI. She founded the Algorithmic Justice League, which works to ensure AI is fair and unbiased.
🌟 Why is she a trailblazer?
- She led a groundbreaking study that showed how AI facial recognition systems are biased against Black women.
- Her TED Talk “How I’m fighting bias in AI” went viral, reaching millions.
- She actively pushes for AI policies that prioritize fairness and accountability.
5️⃣ Rana el Kaliouby (Egypt) – The AI Leader Behind Emotion Recognition
🔬 Who is she?
Rana el Kaliouby is an Egyptian-American AI entrepreneur and expert in affective computing—AI that can recognize and respond to human emotions.
🌟 Why is she a trailblazer?
- She co-founded Affectiva, a company that builds AI capable of reading human emotions.
- She has been a strong advocate for diversity in AI, encouraging more women and underrepresented groups to enter the field.
- She wrote the book “Girl Decoded”, a powerful memoir about being a woman in tech and AI.
6️⃣ Cynthia Breazeal (USA) – The Pioneer of Social Robotics
🔬 Who is she?
Cynthia Breazeal is a roboticist, AI researcher, and entrepreneur known for her work in social robotics. She is currently the Director of MIT’s Personal Robots Group.
🌟 Why is she a trailblazer?
- She built Kismet, one of the first-ever social robots.
- She founded Jibo, Inc., which created one of the world’s first home AI assistants.
- She has dedicated her career to human-AI interaction, making AI more relatable and user-friendly.
7️⃣ Sandra Wachter (Austria) – The Ethics Guardian of AI
🔬 Who is she?
Sandra Wachter is a professor and senior researcher in data ethics, AI, and robotics at the Oxford Internet Institute. A global authority on AI regulation, her work ensures that AI systems are transparent, fair, and accountable.
🌟 Why is she a trailblazer?
✅ Pioneered the concept of the “right to reasonable inferences”, protecting individuals from unfair algorithmic decisions.
✅ Recognized as one of the most influential figures in AI ethics and governance.
✅ A leading voice in shaping policies that balance technological innovation with human rights.
✅ Frequently advises governments, policymakers, and global organizations on AI regulation and fairness.
🎬 Watch: Fairness and transparency in Artificial Intelligence - Sandra Wachter
🚧 Challenges Women in AI Still Face
Despite these incredible achievements, women in AI still face:
🔸 Underrepresentation – Women make up only 22% of AI professionals globally.
🔸 Bias & Exclusion – AI systems often reflect and amplify gender biases due to underrepresentation in datasets.
🔸 Lack of Leadership Roles – Women are significantly underrepresented in AI leadership and decision-making.
🔸 Funding Gaps – Women-led AI startups receive less venture capital funding compared to male-led startups.
These challenges highlight why it is critical to support and uplift women in AI—not just this month, but every day.
How Can We Support Women in AI?
👩💻 Encourage More Women to Enter AI & STEM – Through mentorship, scholarships, and awareness.
📢 Amplify Women’s Voices in AI – Share their work, research, and achievements.
🏆 Advocate for More Inclusion in AI Leadership – Push for more representation in decision-making roles.
💰 Fund & Invest in Women-led AI Startups – Support female entrepreneurs in AI and tech.
Angle Bush, founder of Black Women in Artificial Intelligence, shares her mission to empower and elevate Black women in the AI space. From breaking barriers to building a more inclusive tech industry, her journey is one of resilience, innovation, and impact. Watch now and be inspired! 🎬
🌍 Women in AI Africa: Pioneering Change in AI & Technology
👩💻 Women in AI Africa: Building a Community for Women in AI
📍 Across Africa | Ongoing Initiatives
Women in AI Africa (WiA Africa) is a non-profit organization committed to increasing the participation of African women in AI. This community-driven initiative provides:
✅ Networking Opportunities with AI leaders & professionals
✅ Skill development workshops on AI, machine learning & data science
✅ Mentorship programs to guide women in AI careers
🌍 Why It Matters: With Africa's AI sector rapidly expanding, inclusivity is key! Women in AI Africa ensures that women are not left behind in shaping Africa’s AI future.
🎤 African Summit on Women & Girls in Technology
📍 Africa-Wide | Bi-Annual Event
This powerful summit, hosted by the World Wide Web Foundation & the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), focuses on:
📌 Bridging the digital gender gap📌 AI-driven policies that empower women & girls
📌 Fostering women-led tech innovations
🌍 Why It Matters: Women’s voices must be at the center of Africa’s digital transformation. This summit provides the platform for discussions on AI ethics, gender bias, and digital inclusion.
👩💻 Women in Tech Africa: The Largest Network of Women in Tech
📍 Ghana, Kenya & Pan-Africa | Yearly Conferences & Training
Women in Tech Africa (WiTA) is one of the largest communities of women in tech across Africa, with 30+ country chapters. Their initiatives include:
✅ Women in Tech Week - A global festival celebrating female innovators
✅ MTN GirlCode - Coding bootcamps to encourage more women in AI & software development
✅ Tech Leadership Workshops - Equipping women for leadership roles in AI & tech
🌍 Why It Matters: Women-led AI startups need funding, visibility, and support. WiTA is driving real change in African AI and technology leadership.
👑 Miss Geek Africa: Empowering Young Women in AI & Tech
📍 Rwanda & 22 African Countries | Annual Tech Competition
Miss Geek Africa is not a beauty pageant—it’s a tech innovation competition! It encourages girls (ages 13-25) to develop AI-powered solutions for real-world challenges in healthcare, agriculture, education, and governance.
🏆 Past winners have developed AI-driven applications to tackle food security, disaster response, and financial inclusion.
🌍 Why It Matters: Encouraging young African girls to enter the AI space is critical for long-term change. Miss Geek Africa is nurturing the next generation of AI innovators!
🌍 UNESCO-Merck Africa Research Summit (UNESCO-MARS)
📍 Pan-African | Annual Conference
This annual summit, organized by UNESCO & the Merck Foundation, empowers women in AI-driven health research. The focus?
✅ AI applications in public health & scientific research
✅ Empowering women scientists in AI-driven diagnostics ✅ Strengthening AI-based medical research capacity in Africa
🌍 Why It Matters: From AI-powered disease diagnosis to predictive healthcare models, women are making major contributions to AI in medicine. UNESCO-MARS highlights and supports these efforts!
🤖 AI Movement’s Summer Camp: Women in AI Training
📍 Morocco | Annual Summer Program
The AI Movement Summer Camp is designed specifically for African women in AI, equipping 150+ professionals with skills in AI, leadership, and ethics.
📌 What’s Covered?
✅ AI for business & leadership
✅Data science & applied AI training
✅ AI ethics & responsible AI development
🌍 Why It Matters: Women in AI need hands-on experience to break into the industry. Programs like this provide the practical skills needed to succeed.
📚 Carnegie Mellon University Africa: Women in AI Events
📍 Rwanda | AI-Focused Events & Discussions
CMU Africa hosts regular Women in AI conferences, discussions, and workshops. Some key events include:
✅ 👩💻 African Women in AI - AI Bias Discussion – Addressing AI bias & gender disparities
✅ 🤖 Experience AI Event – Practical hands-on training for women in AI
🌍 Why It Matters: CMU Africa is fostering African AI research, ensuring women take an active role in shaping the continent’s AI future.
Test Your AI IQ
Think you’ve grasped how women are shaping the future of AI? How well do you really know their contributions? Put your knowledge to the test with these three challenging multiple-choice questions!
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Final Thoughts: Women in AI Are Changing Africa’s Future
From Rwanda to Ghana, Morocco to Kenya, African women are leading the AI revolution. These conferences and programs are breaking barriers, bridging gender gaps, and empowering the next generation of female AI leaders.
💡 But we need more support! How can you contribute?
✅ Share this newsletter – Let’s spread the word!
✅ Encourage young women – Help them explore AI careers.
✅ Attend these events – Get involved, learn, and connect.
The future of AI in Africa must include women. Let’s make sure women have the tools, networks, and opportunities they deserve!
📩 What do you think? Which of these events inspires you the most? Join the conversation and stay curious.
Catch you on the flip side,
The African AI Narrative Team.