Women in AI: Skills, Opportunities & the Future of Work | CIO Africa Summit

What opportunities does artificial intelligence create for women? Are universities prepared for the growing demand for AI skills? And what will it take to close the AI skills gap in Africa? At the CIO Africa Women & AI Summit, I joined Prof. Suki Mwendwa, with Carol Odero moderating the conversation, to explore the opportunities, skills and educational shifts shaping women's participation in the AI economy. In this panel discussion, we explore five important questions: 🔹 Opportunities for women in AI: Where are the emerging career, business and leadership opportunities for women in the AI economy? 🔹 Universities and AI readiness: Are universities preparing graduates for the rapidly changing demands of the AI industry? 🔹 Design thinking and AI: How can human-centred design help us build AI solutions that address real needs? 🔹 Skills women need to learn: Beyond coding, what technical, analytical, creative and leadership skills matter in an AI-driven world? 🔹 Closing the AI skills gap: What should universities, industry, governments and individuals do to make AI education and opportunity more accessible? Why this conversation matters AI is changing how we work, build businesses, solve problems and make decisions. Participating in this transformation requires more than learning to use new tools. It requires the ability to identify meaningful problems, work with data, apply AI responsibly, collaborate across disciplines and turn ideas into practical solutions. For African women, the opportunity is not only to participate in the AI economy, but also to shape the products, businesses, institutions and policies that will define it. Continue the conversation Which matters most in closing the AI skills gap: university reform, practical industry experience, mentorship, access to AI tools, or entrepreneurship? Share your perspective in the comments. If you work in AI, education, technology leadership or workforce development, I would love to hear what skills and opportunities you believe deserve more attention. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Muthoni Wanyoike — AI and data professional working across AI solutions, cloud technologies and the practical application of AI to real-world problems. Prof. Suki Mwendwa — Contributing a design-thinking perspective on applying human-centred approaches to AI. Carol Odero — Head of Content Africa at CIO Africa by dx5 and moderator of the discussion. Please refer to the speakers' official profiles and event materials for further biographical details. ABOUT USTAWI AI & INSIGHTS Ustawi AI & Insights explores artificial intelligence, data, cloud technologies, AI agents, responsible innovation and the future of work, with a focus on practical insights and the evolving AI landscape in Africa and beyond. Subscribe for conversations, presentations and insights that help people and organisations understand AI, identify opportunities and turn knowledge into action. #WomenInAI #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork