Norway Envoy Urges Action on Gender Gap in AI & Tech

• May-Elin Stener, Norway’s Ambassador to India, emphasized the importance of dealing with the gender imbalance in AI and technology
• She emphasized that inclusion initiatives should go beyond talk and into implementation

May-Elin Stener, Norway’s Ambassador to India, emphasized the importance of addressing the gender imbalance within artificial intelligence and technology during her speech at the AI Impact Summit 2026.

She asserted that while numerous organizations are generating dialogue surrounding gender equity in these fields, diversity-related initiatives must transition beyond simply being a new topic of discussion, and transition to efforts that will affect long-lasting structural change.

While many technology-related forums indicate gender balance, May believes that overall the technology remains predominately male-driven.

May cited the disparity between the number of public discussions regarding diversity, and examples of women’s participation in opportunities such as leading teams, research projects, and being part of core development teams within the AI ecosystem.

Stener participated in a panel discussion titled "Reimagining Gender in Technology — Designing Safer Digital Futures, and Promoting Ethical AI for Inclusive Platforms," and was accompanied by Soha Ali Khan, a United Nations Population Fund Advocate.

This panel discussion focused on advancing gender inclusion, and especially on the need to keep digital platforms safe for women and girls; thus creating a measurable gap between the number of women who have access to technology and data, and the number of females using data-driven technology.

May highlighted the need for networking events and mentorship programs to facilitate women’s engagement in AI, as these platforms can help address issues related to funding, research, and leadership.

She gave the example of Norway, where initiatives are being taken to encourage women’s engagement in technology areas, based on the country’s gender equality policies.

May stated that gender equality in AI is increasingly being identified as a challenge not only related to fairness but also to the quality of innovation and social impact.

She also mentioned Norway’s engagement in the AI Summit held for a week and expressed her country’s interest in further cooperation with India in digital and AI-related projects, including health applications.

Based on the existing economic cooperation framework and the dialogue on health cooperation, she said that such cooperation could help facilitate more responsible and inclusive use of AI, especially with a focus on gender aspects in digital and health innovations.