New Delhi: Around 95 per cent of women would consider transitioning into an AI-focused role with the right organisational support, a report said on Tuesday. AI is emerging as the most powerful lever to close the gender gap as India currently produces 43 per cent of the world’s female STEM graduates but they hold only 29 per cent of entry‑level tech roles and 14 per cent of C‑suite seats, the report from ANSR and Talent500 said.
The report dismantles the “pipeline myth” by showing “the gap is not talent but the systems around it,” adding that AI adoption is accelerating career progression for women in tech. The survey found 64 per cent of respondents saying AI adoption has accelerated their path to senior roles.
AI capability emerged as a significant career differentiator than tenure or traditional performance metrics, the report noted. Around 65 per cent of respondents were optimistic about their AI opportunities, with 36 per cent identifying as very optimistic, signalling a workforce eager to lead the next wave of tech transformation, it said.
“The intent to lead in AI is present; the next step is providing structural support through mentorship and accessible upskilling, to convert this readiness into reality,” the report urged tech leaders.
Around 69 per cent of women reported that AI has opened new career pathways, indicating strong momentum in AI-enabled career advancement such as product strategy, AI governance, and transformation leadership roles. The report highlighted that AI enabled women to gain more time to invest in higher-value professional and personal opportunities.
India’s GCCs are showing relatively stronger gender representation with women holding approximately 16–17 per cent of the nearly 6,500 total leadership roles. However, there remains a significant gap, with around a 40 per cent drop in representation from entry-level to senior leadership, it added.
The critical differentiator between leaders in the next decade from followers is how actively equity is embedded into their AI transformation, said Smitha Hemmigae, Managing Director, ANSR.
