The symposium Women in IT and AI – Leadership and Inclusion in Digital Technologies and AI: Challenges and Perspectives will advance knowledge on the inclusion and career progression of women in information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI).

Despite more than two decades of gender equity policies, the under-representation of women in IT and AI remains a persistent reality worldwide. This “leaky pipeline” appears at every stage of their paths, from educational choices to career development (Wall, 2019). Current research shows that this disparity is rooted in deep mechanisms. The consequences are especially worrying with the rise of AI, where homogeneous teams perpetuate algorithmic biases that reproduce and amplify existing inequalities (Shim, 2022; UNESCO, 2024).

The symposium brings together scientific research and practitioners’ initiatives to analyze how women’s skills development and career progression are evolving, taking into account the diversity of their experiences. Its central question is what lasting inclusion of women requires, especially immigrant women and women from visible minorities, in their professional paths in IT and AI.

The symposium is open to all experts, researchers, students, industry professionals and organizational or public policy leaders who wish to take part in and contribute to research on inequalities and women’s career progression in digital technology and AI.

This event is the outcome of a research project funded by the Réseau québécois en études féministes (RéQEF).

The symposium is co-organized by Valérie Payen Jean Baptiste, Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay and Valéry Psyché.