Despite some progress, the gender gap in the UK tech industry remains persistent. Low female representation in leadership and STEM roles, coupled with bias in AI systems, highlight the need for continued efforts to achieve gender equality.
The Slow Progress of Gender Equality in the UK Tech Industry
( Credit to: Uktech )
As International Women's Day approaches, it serves as a reminder of the persistent gender gap within the UK tech industry. While some positive steps have been taken, there is still much work to be done in changing perceptions and attitudes.
A recent survey highlights the prevalent belief among men that gender equality is already achieved in the tech world. Additionally, a viral incident at an AI hackathon in San Francisco sheds light on the real-world impact of these attitudes. Despite some progress, the data suggests that the tech gender gap in the UK is not moving in the right direction.
UK Leads Europe in Funding for Women in Tech
According to data from Pitchbook, tech startups with at least one woman founder in the UK have secured £3.3bn in venture capital (VC) funding across 726 deals. This places the UK ahead of other European countries, including Germany, France, and the Netherlands, in terms of total funding for women-founded startups.
However, within the UK, the share of VC funding going to female-founded startups has remained relatively unchanged at 1% to 2% over the past five years. Another analysis by Beauhurst reveals that out of a total of £17.3bn in equity funding deals in the UK, only £2.4bn went to companies with at least one female founder.
Low Female Representation
The Gender Index Report 2024 shows that only 20.1% of active UK companies are female-led, and this number decreased to 21.2% in 2023 for newly incorporated female-led companies. The decline was primarily seen in England, while Scotland also experienced a decrease in the number of new female-led businesses. However, there was a slight increase in Northern Ireland and Wales.
The gender gap is even more pronounced among high-growth companies, with only 12.4% being led by women.
Challenges in STEM
The representation of women in STEM fields also remains a challenge. A survey conducted by IT firm Experis reveals that a fifth of UK businesses have not implemented initiatives to increase the number of women candidates in STEM roles. Furthermore, more than a quarter of businesses reported slow or no progress in this area.
Among the businesses making progress, less than a quarter felt they were on track with their measures to increase women in STEM roles.
AI Bias Reflects Real-World Bias
The AI sector has seen significant growth, but concerns persist about the potential bias against women within AI systems. Cindi Howson, CDSO at ThoughtSpot, highlights the underrepresentation of women in tech and how it has influenced the very fabric of technology. She points out that gender bias in generative AI models reflects the pervasive stereotypes embedded in the data used to train these systems.
Howson emphasizes the importance of having more women involved at all levels of AI development to bring diverse perspectives and ensure models that reflect the full spectrum of human experiences.
Conclusion
While the UK tech industry has made some strides in funding women-founded startups, the overall progress towards gender equality remains slow. Low female representation in leadership positions and STEM roles, coupled with the presence of bias in AI systems, highlight the need for continued efforts to bridge the gender gap.
International Women's Day serves as a reminder to take action and create a more inclusive and equitable tech industry for all.
