Closing the gap: Women, work & AI adoption

As the Burnham Government prioritises “good growth in every postcode”, the UK’s productivity ambitions will depend on businesses enabling people across the workforce to adopt and benefit from AI. Yet studies show that women remain underrepresented in both the development and use of AI, with women making up only 22% of the UK AI workforce and adopting AI tools at a 25% lower rate than men on average.

Join us on Monday 12 October, 08:30 – 10:15, during Women in Tech Week (and a day before Ada Lovelace Day), for a in-person breakfast event examining the gender AI adoption gap as a live constraint on the UK’s productivity and growth agenda.

We’ll hear from speakers on the barriers women are facing, from confidence and access to ethical and safety reservations, what leading adopters are doing differently to enable inclusive adoption, and what industry and government can do to ensure the benefits reach the whole workforce.

Come along to gain practical insights on AI adoption, things to work on individually, and examples of successful workplace practices to take back to your organisation.

Why attend?

• Identify the barriers to adoption – Examine the confidence, skills and access factors contributing to the gender gap in AI development and use, alongside ethical and safety reservations from automation risks to biases in AI-mediated hiring and pay decisions.

• Learn from experience and practice – Hear from speakers on adopting AI in their own roles, and what organisations achieving productivity gains are doing to support inclusive participation.

• Shape the policy conversation – Consider how employers, policymakers and government can work together to strengthen AI skills, support career transitions and create a more inclusive pipeline into AI-related roles.

• Network & connect – Share experiences and practical insights with professionals working across technology, skills, workforce transformation, policy and digital inclusion.

Who should attend?

This event is open to all genders, anyone with a stake in how AI adoption works in practice – from those leading AI, data and transformation programmes, to HR, skills and people leaders, to professionals across engineering, product, governance and policy. Whether you're shaping your organisation's approach to AI or navigating it in your own role, you'll leave with a clearer view of what good looks like.

Agenda:  

• 08:30 – 09:00 | Registration, breakfast and networking 

• 09:00 – 09:30 | In conversation: Rachel Seftel, Head of Research & Impact, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, hosted by Sheila Flavell CBE, President, techUK and Chief Operating Officer, FDM Group

• 09:30 – 10:15 | Panel discussion — speakers from industry, research and policy on the barriers to adoption and how to close the gap 
  

  • Speakers:

  • Maryam Yaqub – AI Lead (Policy, Partnerships, & Communications), Fawcett Society 

  • Riham Satti – Co-founder & CEO, MeVitae 

  • Full list of speakers TBC 

• 10:15  | Close 

For more information, please get in touch with: