Former Union Minister Smriti Irani emphasized the critical need for equity in technology to achieve true gender parity during her address at the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce Conference on Women Empowerment on Wednesday. Highlighting systemic biases in artificial intelligence (AI), she urged stakeholders to prioritize digital equity as a foundation for women’s empowerment.

Irani also spoke of AI’s broader implications, stating, “In the age of AI, it’s humanity confronting what AI will do to us.” She cited research showing that 44% of 133 global AI systems lack gender inclusivity. Illustrating this bias, she shared examples of AI-driven financial disparities: a woman with identical financial credentials to her husband received a credit limit 10% lower, while another faced a limit 20 times below her spouse’s.

She also flagged AI’s role in manipulating women’s consumer behavior, noting that 72% of content targeting women encourages overspending on durables and perishables, yet they are 33% less likely to receive online investment advice. Irani called for deeper studies into these digital-age trends and their impact on women.

Praising India’s financial inclusion efforts like Jan Dhan Yojana and Mudra loans, she noted women-owned businesses boast lower non-performing asset rates (1.8-1.9%) compared to men (2.3%). Yet, disparities persist—women receive just 27% of credit relative to deposits, versus 52% for men.

Irani urged India, a global IT leader, to pioneer technological equity. With only 22% of AI professionals and 17% of leaders being women, she stressed recognizing women’s contributions in health and education, which dominate their earnings. She concluded with a call to action: “Between this International Women’s Day and the next, let’s achieve equity in technology. This will herald true change, equality, and gender justice.”