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Thriving in Tech's Shifting Landscape: Women Navigate AI, Leadership, and Networks
Published 3 months ago
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This is your Women in Business podcast.
Welcome back to Women in Business. Let’s get right into it, because the economic ground under the tech industry is shifting fast, and women are not just reacting to it, we are actively reshaping it.
Right now, women hold only about a quarter of tech jobs in the United States, according to CompTIA and analyses summarized by AIPRM and Exploding Topics, even though women make up almost half of the overall workforce. That means when markets tighten, layoffs hit harder, promotions slow down, and funding gets scarcer, the impact on women in tech is amplified. Yet this same moment is opening new doors in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, and product leadership—if we are positioned to walk through them.
First, let’s talk about navigating instability and layoffs. Reports from organizations like WomenTech Network show that women in technology have been more likely to be affected by recent tech layoffs, often because they hold less senior roles and are underrepresented in decision‑making positions. In an economic downturn, that makes seniority and visibility strategic, not just nice to have. This is where women can push for stretch assignments, measurable impact, and sponsorship from leaders who will say your name in the rooms you are not yet in.
Second, the pay and promotion gap becomes even more critical in a shaky economy. AIPRM’s review of US Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows women in tech earning roughly 15 to 16 percent less than male peers on average. McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace report highlights that for every 100 men promoted to manager, fewer women are moving up, and the numbers are worse for women of color. In a tight market, every raise, every title change, and every line on your résumé can change how resilient you are to economic shocks.
Third, we have to talk about the rise of AI and automation. Deloitte, CompTIA, and multiple women‑in‑tech surveys point out that women are underrepresented in core AI roles, with some estimates putting women at under 30 percent of the AI workforce and below 20 percent among AI researchers. Yet AI is exactly where a lot of future economic value is being created. Upskilling in tools like machine learning platforms, data analytics, and AI‑driven product design is no longer optional for women who want not just to keep their seats, but to claim the better ones.
Fourth, this landscape is rewriting what leadership looks like. StrongDM and other industry analyses suggest only a minority of tech companies have women serving as CEO or CTO, and women hold a small share of senior technical leadership roles. But here’s the opportunity: companies that survive volatility are leaning hard into inclusive leadership, psychological safety, and diverse teams—areas where women leaders have repeatedly been shown, in studies by firms like McKinsey, to drive stronger culture and better financial performance. In other words, the style of leadership many women already practice is exactly what this economy rewards.
Fifth, community and networks are becoming an economic safety net. From WomenTech Network, Girls Who Code, and AnitaB.org’s Grace Hopper Celebration, to local meetups in cities like San Francisco, London, Lagos, and Bangalore, women are building ecosystems that share job leads, angel checks, term‑sheet advice, and hard‑won salary benchmarks. In a volatile tech economy, your network can move faster than any corporate restructuring plan.
So as we navigate this current economic landscape together, here are your five discussion points to sit with: how women survive and thrive through tech layoffs and volatility; how we close pay and promotion gaps when budgets are tight; how we claim space in AI and emerging technologies; how we redefine and occupy leadership in times of uncertainty; and how we build powerful networks that turn economic risk into collectiv
Welcome back to Women in Business. Let’s get right into it, because the economic ground under the tech industry is shifting fast, and women are not just reacting to it, we are actively reshaping it.
Right now, women hold only about a quarter of tech jobs in the United States, according to CompTIA and analyses summarized by AIPRM and Exploding Topics, even though women make up almost half of the overall workforce. That means when markets tighten, layoffs hit harder, promotions slow down, and funding gets scarcer, the impact on women in tech is amplified. Yet this same moment is opening new doors in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, and product leadership—if we are positioned to walk through them.
First, let’s talk about navigating instability and layoffs. Reports from organizations like WomenTech Network show that women in technology have been more likely to be affected by recent tech layoffs, often because they hold less senior roles and are underrepresented in decision‑making positions. In an economic downturn, that makes seniority and visibility strategic, not just nice to have. This is where women can push for stretch assignments, measurable impact, and sponsorship from leaders who will say your name in the rooms you are not yet in.
Second, the pay and promotion gap becomes even more critical in a shaky economy. AIPRM’s review of US Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows women in tech earning roughly 15 to 16 percent less than male peers on average. McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace report highlights that for every 100 men promoted to manager, fewer women are moving up, and the numbers are worse for women of color. In a tight market, every raise, every title change, and every line on your résumé can change how resilient you are to economic shocks.
Third, we have to talk about the rise of AI and automation. Deloitte, CompTIA, and multiple women‑in‑tech surveys point out that women are underrepresented in core AI roles, with some estimates putting women at under 30 percent of the AI workforce and below 20 percent among AI researchers. Yet AI is exactly where a lot of future economic value is being created. Upskilling in tools like machine learning platforms, data analytics, and AI‑driven product design is no longer optional for women who want not just to keep their seats, but to claim the better ones.
Fourth, this landscape is rewriting what leadership looks like. StrongDM and other industry analyses suggest only a minority of tech companies have women serving as CEO or CTO, and women hold a small share of senior technical leadership roles. But here’s the opportunity: companies that survive volatility are leaning hard into inclusive leadership, psychological safety, and diverse teams—areas where women leaders have repeatedly been shown, in studies by firms like McKinsey, to drive stronger culture and better financial performance. In other words, the style of leadership many women already practice is exactly what this economy rewards.
Fifth, community and networks are becoming an economic safety net. From WomenTech Network, Girls Who Code, and AnitaB.org’s Grace Hopper Celebration, to local meetups in cities like San Francisco, London, Lagos, and Bangalore, women are building ecosystems that share job leads, angel checks, term‑sheet advice, and hard‑won salary benchmarks. In a volatile tech economy, your network can move faster than any corporate restructuring plan.
So as we navigate this current economic landscape together, here are your five discussion points to sit with: how women survive and thrive through tech layoffs and volatility; how we close pay and promotion gaps when budgets are tight; how we claim space in AI and emerging technologies; how we redefine and occupy leadership in times of uncertainty; and how we build powerful networks that turn economic risk into collectiv