LinkedIn workforce knowledge exhibits that girls are nonetheless considerably underrepresented within the Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM). Regardless of making up nearly half (49.3%) of complete employment throughout non-STEM occupations, ladies characterize simply 29.2% of all STEM staff.
As expertise strikes rapidly, that underrepresentation shapes the expertise of tomorrow in addition to amplifies current gender bias in expertise. As Cisco’s company function is to energy an inclusive future for all, Cisco Networking Academy chooses to take motion to address gender parity in tech by encouraging younger women and girls to think about STEM as a profession choice.
AI will not be new
The concept of Synthetic Intelligence (AI) will not be new. Metropolis, the traditional Fritz Lang movie featured a humanoid robotic in 1927. Even in academia the curiosity in AI and machine studying dates again greater than half a century. Alan Turing wrote a paper on Computing Machinery and Intelligence in 1950.
Regardless of what looks like an extended historical past, it took the confluence of elevated computational capability, massive knowledge, and years of analysis and coaching earlier than AI genuinely burst into the mainstream in 2023. One third of respondents to McKinsey’s Global Survey final 12 months mentioned their organizations are utilizing generative AI frequently in at the least one enterprise operate. That is lower than a 12 months after many of those instruments debuted.
The AI revolution
AI is now seen as a revolution with organizations and other people working diligently to grasp alternatives and implications.
Together with revolutions come challenges, nevertheless. Cisco’s position on AI is that whereas there’s huge constructive potential for humanity, we should deploy the expertise responsibly. Cisco research reveals there are gaps in preparedness for the AI revolution in 86 % of world organizations.
In our current Quarterly Pupil End result Survey,* 63 % of Cisco Networking Academy college students inform us they’re utilizing AI in the present day and 17 % have already got superior abilities on this space. We’re proud our college students are at the vanguard of expertise studying. The truth is, 88 % of our college students consider Cisco Networking Academy is on the forefront of this quickly evolving tech world.
Sadly, we’re already seeing a gender hole in AI.
In keeping with the World Economic Forum (WEF), ladies comprise solely 22 % of AI professionals globally, solely 18 % of authors at main AI conferences are ladies, and solely 2 % of enterprise capital flowed to start-ups based by ladies in 2019.
Equally troubling, the WEF believes this gender hole in AI is self-perpetuating.
“There’s an pressing must rebalance the scenario for girls in AI to keep away from biased analyzes and to construct applied sciences that have in mind the expectations and desires of all of humanity,” says Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-Common.
Are you AI-ready?
Celebrating its tenth 12 months in 2024, Cisco Networking Academy’s Women Rock-IT program is a worldwide initiative aimed toward closing the gender hole within the expertise business by encouraging younger ladies to pursue careers in tech.
This system highlights profitable ladies in tech as position fashions and offers free introductory tech programs by means of Cisco Networking Academy. Since its inception, Ladies Rock-IT has seen greater than two million individuals and 870,000 course enrolments.
On International Girls in ICT Day on April 25, 2024, Ladies Rock-IT will host a particular occasion that goals to empower our viewers by offering quick, actionable steps to change into AI-ready. We underscore the necessity to develop abilities to harness the huge potential of AI and machine studying for companies, public companies, and society at giant.
Cisco helps Women in ICT Day 2024
This 12 months greater than 240 Cisco volunteers are organizing occasions and alluring native colleges to go to Cisco workplaces to see what kinds of careers can be found on the planet of tech.
Over 250 Cisco Networking instructors have registered to run lessons in Introduction to Cybersecurity and Introduction to Information Science as a part of a World Study-A-Thon to introduce new college students to the world of tech and to think about expertise as a profession pathway.
And a worldwide digital broadcast in a number of time-zones will characteristic audio system with experience in AI. These audio system are utilizing synthetic intelligence to ahead developments in areas similar to nature conservation and human growth.
Meet the audio system
We’re thrilled to announce our two audio system who’re ladies on the reducing fringe of the AI revolution:
Nadin Kokciyan — Lecturer in Synthetic Intelligence on the College of Informatics, College of Edinburgh.
Nadine is deeply concerned in moral and future-oriented research of expertise as a Senior Analysis Affiliate on the Centre for Technomoral Futures, Edinburgh Futures Institute.
Because the director of the Human-Centered AI Lab (CHAI Lab), Nadin’s work emphasizes the event and examine of AI methods that prioritize human wants and values. Moreover, her affiliations with the Synthetic Intelligence and its Functions Institute (AIAI), the Safety and Privateness group, and the Technology Usability Lab In Privateness and Safety (TULiPS) underline her multifaceted method to AI analysis.
Nadin goals to bridge the hole between technical AI developments and their societal implications, guaranteeing that AI growth aligns with moral requirements and contributes positively to human welfare.
Dr. Tanya Berger-Wolf — Director of the Translational Information Analytics Institute, Ohio State College
Tanya is a professor of Pc Science Engineering, Electrical and Pc Engineering, in addition to Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology on the Ohio State College. As a computational ecologist, her analysis is on the distinctive intersection of laptop science, wildlife biology, and social sciences.
Tanya is a member of the US Nationwide Academies Board on Life Sciences and CNRS Worldwide Scientific Advisory Board, Synthetic Intelligence for Science, Science for Synthetic Intelligence (AISSA) Centre. She additionally sits on advisory boards for Conservation X Labs and the Ocean Imaginative and prescient AI (OVAI) mission.
She can also be co-founder of the AI for wildlife conservation software program non-profit Wild Me, dwelling of the Wildbook mission, which has been chosen by UNSECO as one of many prime AI 100 tasks worldwide supporting the UN Sustainable Improvement Objectives.
Not too long ago, Tanya was awarded a US Nationwide Science Basis grant to ascertain a brand new subject of examine: Imageomics.
As a computational ecologist, her analysis is on the distinctive intersection of laptop science, wildlife biology, and social sciences.
AI all over the place
Synthetic Intelligence will have an effect on everybody and each enterprise. From nature conservation, to the fashion industry, and education, AI will have an effect.
Be part of us for Ladies Rock-IT on April 25. Begin exploring how you should use AI for an AI-fueled profession increase. Hear from real-time innovators and leaders of their fields. Ask your questions and entry free entry-level programs from Cisco Networking Academy to get began instantly.
Register now for the Ladies Rock-IT digital occasion on April 25!
Verify registration web page in your native broadcast time.
*Primarily based on Q2 FY24 Cisco Networking Academy survey responses of 1400 college students
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