Why was ChatGPT such a runaway success? Why is the rise of generative artificial intelligence much more than a fad?
It’s not the quick answers or articulate paragraphs that this type of AI can create. Those things are impressive. But the real breakthrough is that we can communicate with the software in plain language. We talk (or type) in everyday words and it understands.
The easier it is to access and use digital technology, the more it serves us. ChatGPT’s success is due to its incredible accessibility. When people get easy access to technology, they can do so much more and realise the lives they want.
But not everyone has access. Many people are still behind the adoption curve, sometimes due to socio-economic or geographic reasons. But often, it’s their gender that holds them back.
The Gender Representation Gap
Women remain significantly underrepresented in the digital technology world. It’s not just a matter of technology roles—women are even behind in general technology usage. For example, women are still 19% less likely than men to use mobile Internet, and two-thirds of those women live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Globally, 81 percent of women own phones to 87 percent. This gap grows when one focuses on developing regions.
Much of the gap results from a lack of women in technology roles. The majority of women in tech say they are outnumbered 2-to-1 by men. In 2021, only 13 percent of tech professionals were women, and half will leave their tech careers by age 35.
“Progress has been made,” according to Acer’s Marketing Manager, Lesego Bobbi Nyamane. “We now witness a greater representation of women in the tech industry, and we are more included than before. However, there remains an untapped potential for further advancement. Attitudes are changing and we need to build on that momentum.”
Closing the Gap
How can leaders and their organisations contribute to the change? As we close another Women’s Month, here’s what we can continue doing across the other 11 months:
Support work-life balance: Many women quit their careers because of other demands, such as raising children (called the ‘motherhood penalty‘) and managing households. These duties often compete with typical professional pursuits such as additional education and side hustles. Organisations can focus on family-friendly benefits, flexible schedules, and being receptive to female professionals’ challenges.
Create opportunity: Providing opportunities such as ongoing education, mentors, and sponsor networks are in lockstep with culture and work-life support. In particular, networks are essential to bolster women’s career prospects and support from the organisation’s leaders and influencers.
Exposure to tech: We shouldn’t focus exclusively on women in technology roles. Everyone can use technology to enhance their careers. Exposing those options is vital, both in workplaces and in schools. Examples include easy access to devices, subsidised connectivity, employee-facing self-service tools, technology literacy training, and company subscriptions to online learning platforms.
Showcase tech-infused jobs: While it is critical to cultivate STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) careers, those are far from the only options in a technology world. Tech-infused roles include design, marketing, project management, finances—frankly, most jobs. Elevating the technology aspect of these roles is crucial for learners deciding on their future careers and working professionals wondering about their opportunities.
Looking back at this era of human history, two things will stand out: the incredible gains from digital technology and whether we brought everyone along into the future. We’ve made tremendous gains as a society to balance gender inclusivity. Focusing on the right priorities, we can close that gap once and for all.
