Women and AI: Agency, Ethics and Innovation

On 10 March 2026, Murray Edwards College hosted the event Women and AI: Agency, Ethics and Innovation, bringing together academics, students, and professionals to explore how women are engaging with, and reshaping, the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. As AI technologies develop at remarkable speed and begin to influence nearly every sector of society, the panel examined what this transformation means specifically for women, and why their active participation in shaping AI systems is essential.

The event was organised by Rebecca Simmons, a second-year History and Politics student at Murray Edwards College with a strong interest in the global impact of AI. Rebecca assembled a panel that brought together expertise from gender studies, AI education, and policy discussions around responsible technology. She said:

“I wanted to hold this event because AI has become such a prominent factor in student and working life, and it’s something which has deeply unnerved me. I wanted to get to the bottom of this feeling with experts who specialise in the ethics and politics of the system to understand how my generation should handle and approach AI usage in the future.”

The discussion was also moderated by Rebecca, alongside Dr Rachel Polonsky, Acting President of Murray Edwards.

The Speakers

The panel featured two leading voices in the field of AI and social impact.

Dr Ruhi Khan, an interdisciplinary academic and journalist based at the London School of Economics and Political Science, works at the intersection of gender studies, media, and data governance. As a Research Officer in the Department of Gender Studies, a lecturer in Media and Communications, and a faculty affiliate of the Data Science Institute, her work advances a feminist, decolonial, and justice-oriented vision for the future of AI. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Higher Education Academy, and a member of UN Women UK.

Joining her was Dr Caitlin Bentley, Senior Lecturer in AI Education at King's College London. Bentley is actively involved in shaping responsible AI through education and policy work. She is a member of the Delivery Team for the Responsible Artificial Intelligence UK (RAI UK) programme and has previously served on the UKRI Trustworthy Autonomous Systems Hub Skills Committee, Syllabus Lab, and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion working group.

Women’s agency in the age of AI

A central theme of the discussion was the importance of women participating directly in conversations about artificial intelligence. As AI technologies become embedded in everyday decision-making, from hiring algorithms to healthcare systems, the panel emphasised that women must not only be users of these tools but also active contributors to their design and governance.

Both speakers stressed that agency is crucial. Women need to be involved in shaping AI technologies, influencing how they are built, and determining the values embedded within them. Without this involvement, the risk remains that AI systems will continue to reflect historical inequalities already present in society.

Addressing bias in AI systems

The panel highlighted how gender and racial bias remain significant challenges in AI development. Because AI systems often rely on large datasets drawn from publicly available sources, they frequently replicate historical patterns of inequality.

Historically, women’s experiences and perspectives have been underrepresented in many areas of recorded knowledge and digital data. As a result, AI systems trained on such data can inadvertently prioritise male perspectives.

The speakers emphasised that addressing this issue requires diversity at the development stage. A broader range of voices, including women and people from diverse cultural and social backgrounds, must be involved in designing, training, and evaluating AI systems. By doing so, the technology can better reflect the complexity and diversity of human experience.

Demystifying AI

Despite common fears surrounding AI, the speakers encouraged the audience not to see the technology as inherently threatening. Instead, they emphasised the importance of understanding and engaging with AI tools.

One audience member shared her experience of benefiting significantly from AI in her professional work, describing how it had helped her feel more empowered in her role. The panel welcomed this example and encouraged attendees to explore how AI could support their own work and studies.

However, both speakers stressed that AI should never be used passively. Users must approach these tools critically — assessing their outputs, questioning their assumptions, and recognising their limitations.

Ethics before innovation

A particularly striking point raised by Ruhi concerned the order in which AI development has unfolded. The title of the event Agency, Ethics and Innovation reflects what she argued should have been the natural progression of AI development.

First, society should establish agency, ensuring that diverse communities have a voice in shaping technological systems. Next comes ethics, developing frameworks that govern how these technologies should operate responsibly. Only once these foundations are in place should innovation accelerate.

In reality, however, many technology companies have prioritised rapid innovation above all else. As a result, ethical considerations and inclusive participation have often lagged behind technological development.

The need for stronger regulation

The discussion also addressed the role of legislation in governing AI technologies. The speakers noted that current regulatory frameworks remain insufficient given the pace of technological change.

Stronger and more comprehensive legislation will be needed to ensure AI systems are developed responsibly, protect individuals from harm, and guarantee that technological progress benefits society as a whole.

Looking Ahead

The event concluded with a clear message: AI is not something that happens to society - it is something society actively shapes. Ensuring that women are involved in designing, questioning, and governing these systems will be essential to creating more equitable technologies.

By encouraging education, critical engagement, and diverse participation, events such as Women and AI: Agency, Ethics and Innovation highlight how universities and students can play a key role in shaping a responsible future for artificial intelligence.