Artificial Intelligence is a feminist issue
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Right now, it feels almost dangerous to be female with a voice online. But women, your internet needs you!
Artificial Intelligence, while being hailed the answer to all of humankind’s immediate issues, from solving climate change to curing cancer, is the new feminist frontier according to academic and gender advocate Dr Nici Sweaney.
Dr Sweaney has many legitimate concerns about AI – which appears both limitless and without a moral, legal or even criminal framework (as of yet) – but she is directing her energies towards demystifying the technology and teaching others the myriad ways to use it to our advancement, particularly in the workplace, and particularly women. She also has major concerns about online misogyny which has reached new heights in the wake of the US election.
For Dr Sweaney, AI is a feminist issue and she is waging a one-woman campaign to encourage more women to enter the AI fray, so to speak, so that AI has both a feminine and masculine framework from which to build, well, its so-called intelligence.
“Women are severely underrepresented in the field of AI, with less than 30 per cent of those working in machine learning being women. This disparity means that the voices and perspectives of women are often missing in the development of these technologies. Additionally, women are less likely to use AI tools, further widening the gap. This lack of diversity not only affects the types of solutions being created but also risks leading us toward a future where women are left disenfranchised and disempowered,” she says.
AI, if not used thoughtfully, can perpetuate existing biases, as these systems learn from historical data that reflects societal inequalities. AI models are trained on vast amounts of data scraped from the internet, reflecting not the society we aspire to be but the one we currently are, with all its flaws.
“This means when you ask AI to generate images of leaders, it often defaults to producing images of white men in their early 40s. Ask it for a story for girls, and you might get something stereotypical like marshmallow bunnies and princess castles. This bias is deeply entrenched even before we as users interact with generative AI, and it continues to perpetuate existing inequalities. A stark example of this is the rise of deepfake technology, where AI-generated fake images and videos are increasingly being used to target and harm women. Instances of such misuse have surged by 100 per cent year on year since 2019, and it’s particularly concerning that of the top five deepfake pornographic websites, 100 per cent of the content targets women.”
Which brings us to last fortnight, where the US election result witnessed a veritable explosion in online hate and misogyny – including a 4600 per cent increase in sexual harassment on X.
Photography by Kristie Lee Dickson at Comunete Store, Milton
“In light of recent events and the alarming rise of gender-based harassment online (and in real life), it’s clearer than ever that we’re at a critical juncture in the digital age—a time where the intersection of technology and humanity demands urgent scrutiny.
“The staggering increase in violent misogyny on platforms like X is a slap-in-your-face reminder of how unchecked technology amplifies existing societal inequalities. This 4600% rise isn’t just a statistic—it’s a reflection of a deeper societal discomfort with women holding power and the backlash they face for simply existing in spaces they belong.”
But for Dr Sweaney, it also serves as a motivator, to address the systems enabling this behaviour, both technologically and culturally.
“This is why women’s voices in tech are critical. The uncomfortable truth is that many men in charge of shaping AI and digital platforms likely hold similar harmful beliefs. This isn’t just an issue of representation – it’s a question of ethics, power, and the world we want to build. We need more advocates for equality and accountability – not more tech bros chasing profit at the expense of humanity.
“Let’s also be honest: legislation and regulation have not kept pace with technological advancements. The digital age is unfolding without adequate safeguards, forcing us to navigate these challenges with personal responsibility and collective action. And right now we’re seeing one of the ways that can play out. I think it’s a powerful reminder of the urgent need for systemic change.”
Having spent nearly two decades as an academic scientist and a data analyst consulting for global organisations like the UN, World Bank, and AusAID, Dr Sweaney became so obsessed with Generative AI that she founded Ai Her Way in 2023. The consultancy specialises in deploying AI to enhance operational efficiency and eliminate administrative workload while championing ethical practices and gender equality.
While online hatred is one battlefield, she also warns of the issue of job displacement for women especially in roles that are heavily administrative or repetitive. While AI can take over these tasks, it’s crucial that employers think about how to retrain and redeploy people in more fulfilling roles.
But it is not all bleak news.
One of the most important aspects of AI for Dr Sweaney personally is its potential to level the playing field for women.
“Women make up a significant portion of business owners in Australia, yet most of these businesses don’t make it past six figures, and many don’t employ others. I see AI as a way to help women scale their ideas and dreams. When women succeed in business, it has a ripple effect, creating positive outcomes not just for themselves but for their communities.”
