Why The AI Social is making room for more women in AI

Where do you go when you’re curious about AI but don’t feel comfortable asking the first question?

It’s something I’ve been thinking about as I explore AI with the team at GoodShip*. I come from a creative background and work with data, so I’m curious about what AI can help me make and how much I can trust what it gives me. Sometimes the most helpful thing is having someone to talk through what I’ve tried and what I’m still figuring out.

I first met Neha at the Liverpool AI Summit, where I learnt about The AI Social. Gavin recently caught up with Laura and Neha to hear more about why Laura started it, what they’re building together and how GoodShip* could help more people find it. That conversation prompted me to share their story.

Laura Walker founded The AI Social after completing an MSc in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Liverpool Management School, where she met Neha Manoharan, who was studying on the same programme and now leads the Liverpool Chapter.

During her studies, Laura became increasingly aware of the gender gap in generative AI adoption. With Deloitte research reporting that fewer than 28% of women were using generative AI, she wanted to create a welcoming space where women of all ages and backgrounds could connect, learn and explore AI together. 

Jargon can make a simple question feel complicated. The hype can make it hard to know what’s worth your time. And if the room feels like it was designed for people who already know their way around the tools, it’s easy to decide to sit the conversation out.

A place to start, and people to learn with

Laura’s mission is to give women of all ages and backgrounds a place to explore AI on their own terms. A student wondering how AI might shape her career, a retiree curious about what she could create with it and a woman already working in AI can all sit around the same table. Each brings a different experience of work and life, and that gives everyone more to learn from.

That table might be in a pub or a café, over a cup of tea or a glass of wine. Laura and Neha are exploring guest talks, online sessions, practical workshops and weekends that combine hands-on learning with time to socialise. An online session might be easier to fit around work or caring commitments. A small, informal gathering might make it easier to say, “I tried this and it didn’t work. Can you show me what you did?”

I recognise the value of that kind of conversation. From a creative point of view, I want room to experiment and talk about the choices I’m making. What could I try that I couldn’t before? What would I still want to do myself? Hearing how someone else has worked through those questions can give me a better idea of what to try next.

Listening before deciding what comes next

One thing that came up in Gavin’s catch-up was how to reach women beyond the networks already talking about AI. The summit helped more people discover The AI Social. Laura now wants to hear from women who might be curious about AI but would rarely think to book a ticket to a tech event.

That’s the purpose of the Women, AI and Community survey. It asks what women are curious about, what gets in the way and what would make it easier to take part. From a data perspective, I’m interested in who we hear from as much as what they tell us. If people say they’d like to try AI but have no idea where to begin, that can shape a first workshop. If timing, travel or childcare keeps coming up, that can shape how and when sessions run. Hearing from people outside the usual AI circles helps Laura and Neha make those decisions with more of the women they set out to reach. Take the Women, AI and Community survey

Through the AI Activator at GoodShip*, I’m seeing how much confidence can grow when people have someone to compare notes with. A workshop can give you a place to begin. A community gives you somewhere to take the next question. That’s why we’re sharing AI Social with our cohort and the wider GoodShip* community.

Whether you use AI regularly, have tried it once or are still deciding where to start, your experience can help shape what AI Social does next.

To join The AI Social community, register at: The AI Social — A community for women exploring AI