The Power of Representation: Highlighting the Success of Women in Tech

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Two young women in tech having a discussion

At IBM, fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment is more than a commitment − it’s a driving force behind innovation. We sat down with two IBM Consulting leaders − Phaedra, a leader in AI, and Yoko, a leader in the banking sector. They discuss their roles, accomplishments, and the overall impact of gender diversity on their team’s dynamics, along with the work they’re doing at IBM, highlighting the success of women in tech.

 

Steering Ethics in AI with Diverse, Multidisciplinary Expertise

Phaedra is IBM Consulting’s Global Leader for Trustworthy AI and holds a key role in ensuring AI is curated responsibly. She also co-leads the Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence (COE). The COE champions diversity and creates an environment where complex conversations around AI’s impact on society can take place safely. Phaedra’s day job is that she helps clients curate AI responsibly. There is a recognition that there is nothing easy about curating AI responsibly as it is a socio-technical challenge that necessarily requires a holistic approach across People, Process and Tools. Of these three, Phaedra emphasizes that PEOPLE, or establishing the right organizational culture is always the hardest.

“Today we must recognize that there is a tiny homogeneous group of people deciding which datasets to use to train AI models that we are using every day. For AI to best reflect the diverse communities that are served, we need a deliberate approach to DEI (Diversity Equity & Inclusion) – ensuring that we have people with truly different lived world experiences developing AI models and systems of governance around those models. Additionally, organizations need to establish communities that offer psychological safety to have tough conversations about disparate impact,” emphasized Phaedra, who is based in the US.

 

 

Demonstrating Pioneering Leadership in IBM

Yoko works in IBM Consulting’s Banking & Financial Markets, serving as Senior Partner. The Japan-based IBMer leads a team of over 300 members who provide robust system support and competitive service offerings to financial institutions. She takes pride not only in successfully elevating customer service through technology, but also in fostering growth and development in meaningful ways within her team.

“Our team developed an app that’s projected to reach over nine million downloads, becoming a crucial channel for our clients,” shares Yoko, demonstrating how leadership and technology converge to drive excellence.

In the face of a rapidly changing environment and intensifying competition among financial institutions, Yoko’s team plays a crucial role in maintaining the stable operation of systems that bolster daily client operations, thereby enhancing their service competitiveness. As Phaedra says, “Stability and reliability are the cornerstones of client trust and service excellence.”

 

The Impact of Gender Diversity

Phaedra, an advocate for gender diversity alongside Yoko, not only asserts its vital role in boosting team performance, but also in propelling technological innovation, stating, “Diversity is not just a metric to strive for, it is a catalyst for innovation and growth.”

“Diversity among team members, regardless of gender, is an essential condition for continued performance.” says Yoko. Adding to this, Phaedra states, “Inclusion and diversity are not just buzzwords, but the foundation of a successful team.”

Phaedra emphasizes the power of collective intelligence, or the ‘wisdom of crowds’, to propel progress and innovation. She says, “Diverse perspectives can solve complex problems more effectively,” advocating for a greater harnessing of this collective wisdom in decision-making processes.

 

 

Addressing Challenges: Empowering Women in Tech

Acknowledging and overcoming systemic inequities embedded within technology is crucial.

“All of us have a great responsibility to understand that earning trust in our technologies is not strictly a technical challenge, but one that is socio-technical. And the way to tackle a socio-technical challenge is by adopting a holistic approach that spans establishing the required organizational culture to curate AI responsibly, the AI governance processes and the tools and AI engineering frameworks.” She explains that a responsible culture requires a growth mindset, an understanding that teams developing AI must be multidisciplinary, and a commitment to train AI models that reflect the needs of our diverse communities.

Phaedra and Yoko’s stories are testaments to the power of diversity in not only enhancing team dynamics, but in leading the charge toward a future where AI is curated responsibly and equitably. Through embracing a culture of inclusivity and continuous learning, IBM aims to remain at the forefront of responsible technology, driven by diversity and powered by collective intelligence.

 

 

Discover Your Potential at IBM

For more than 110 years, IBM has been a catalyst that makes the world work better, and we remain dedicated to driving actionable change and outcomes for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive society.

Consider IBM as the next step in your career journey!

 

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