Women in Technology: The Time to Move from Inclusion to Influence
By Ariela Fefer, Chief Operating Officer at Softtek
We have spent years entrenched in a necessary but incomplete conversation: the urgency of adding more women to the tech sector. However, experience has taught me that presence alone does not generate transformation. The quota responds to a numerical need and is usually the first step of an inclusion policy, but if we stop there, we run the risk of falling into symbolism that does not generate change. It's time that the ecosystem stopped talking about how many of us there are, to start talking about how much we influence the decisions that shape a future where cutting-edge technology may be the most important factor in shaping companies and societies.
Transitioning from quota to influence means that women actively participate in setting priorities, in the strategic vision, and in the technical core of organizations. Unfortunately, an invisible cultural bias still persists that assumes women are not as technical or not attracted to systems architecture. This idea relegates us to support areas, preventing us from leading business projects, technology advising, or complex engineering. Breaking this barrier is vital, especially in a scenario dominated by artificial intelligence.
AI, not only seen as a tool, but as a new game changer on par with the discovery of fire or combustion engines, is a new language permeating all areas of life. If those who design, train and make decisions about these algorithms are not a diverse group, we risk escalating and automating historical biases. Our vision is essential to ensure a human and balanced technology, which does not reproduce inequalities, but mitigates them through responsible governance.
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When women manage to influence the technological agenda, the quality of business decisions increases. New success metrics appear, what is prioritized changes, and operational resilience is strengthened. We are not here just to complete a diversity picture; we are here to change the way investment and construction are made. Presence transforms teams, but only influence transforms organizations. The success of the future will not be measured by traditional indicators, but by our ability to raise the standards of what we consider a successful company. Not for nothing, AI came not to remove technical expertise as the most important value in the digital world, but to raise the human focus and perspective as the decisive factor to make a difference.