Women are emerging as leading voices in shaping the region’s AI future, a new report from software company Cloudera has revealed, with growing optimism among women leaders in the Middle East about AI’s potential to advance gender equality.
The Women in Leadership in Technology (WLIT) survey, which canvassed IT leaders across the Middle East, found that 91 per cent of women in the UAE are optimistic about achieving gender equality in AI leadership within five years.
However, half of respondents said gender imbalance remains evident across the sector.
The report also shows that 88 per cent of IT leaders believe AI will be a key driver of gender balance in technology, and the same proportion say women in IT will play a central role in shaping AI strategies and governance.
Despite this optimism, 46 per cent of respondents worry about the lack of women in senior AI roles, while 44 per cent fear that under-representation could lead to bias in how AI systems are developed or applied. More than half (52 per cent) cited limited senior leadership opportunities as the biggest challenge, and 84 per cent said organisations must do more to provide women with targeted AI training.
Manasi Vartek, Chief AI Architect at Cloudera, said: “Wherever data lives, AI follows. That is the reality our customers are dealing with. If organisations want AI they can trust, they need two things. First, a unified data foundation that gives them consistent governance across clouds, data centres, and the edge. Second, the human groundwork. That means targeted training for women in technical and leadership tracks and clear pathways into senior AI roles.”
The findings also indicate that two-thirds (67 per cent) of respondents believe gender equality remains a tick-box exercise in many firms, while 64 peer cent point to limited access to upskilling as a key barrier to career progression.
The study was unveiled at EVOLVE25 Dubai, Cloudera’s global data and AI conference series, which brings together regional leaders to discuss enterprise AI, data architecture, and responsible AI practices.
The Dubai edition includes a dedicated Women Leaders in Technology track, reflecting the event’s focus on empowerment, innovation, and practical pathways to progress.
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