The digital future for women will be as strong as the human potential we invest in it. Ana Záhorčáková, Chief Commercial Officer at dtech and an ambassador for women in IT, highlighted at the conference data, the blind spots of artificial intelligence, and concrete steps that can move Slovakia forward.
The reality of representation and AI blind spots
In power and decision-making, women still lag behind: in the 150-member National Council there are 32 female MPs, in the government 3 female ministers out of 16, and in the European Parliament 4 Slovak women out of 14 seats. In IT, according to the DESI index, approximately 16 500 female specialists are active, which ranks Slovakia 19th in the EU; the share of women in IT positions is only around 14,9 percent, the fourth lowest in the Union. But it's not just about the numbers, but also about how technologies reflect women: AI models, for example, generated exclusively white men as "hospital directors" or were worse at understanding women's voices in navigation. Even ordinary sports footage is often incorrectly labeled as inappropriate by algorithms, which renders women invisible in the online environment.
The way forward: self-confidence, networks, policy
The solution starts with us: strengthening women's self-confidence and systematically increasing their numbers in IT, not only among programmers but also in management. It helps to shed biases, live "here and now," and build networks of experienced women who pass on know-how. This also includes an emphasis on fair pay—the gap between average female and male earnings in the same positions reaches approximately 16,6 percent according to the Equal Pay Day conference. And it is important to engage men as allies.
State support is also needed. Záhorčáková proposes a working group under the auspices of the Prime Minister with the participation of the ministers of informatization and education, which would coordinate steps starting in primary schools – eliminating stereotypes and targeted campaigns. Slovakia needs a plan to increase the number of women in IT, including in managerial roles, better availability of childcare, and easing the situation of single mothers, for example through tax relief. It should also include eliminating pay gaps, so that the digital future is fair and harnesses the country's full potential.
