15 November 2024
Bilbao Campus
On November 15, the University of Deusto hosted the III EDA-Atlantic Businesswomen and Executives Congress on AI and the management of female talent, organized by Empresarias y Directivas del Atlántico, of which the Asociación Mujer Siglo XXI is a member. Rector Juan José Etxeberria inaugurated this meeting that brought together expert voices from various disciplines to address the challenges and opportunities of a technology that is transforming all areas of our society and that reflects, in his words, “our shared goal with an inclusive, sustainable and ethical future,” he said.
At Deusto, he added, “we firmly believe that artificial intelligence should be a tool for the common good, allowing us to improve our lives while respecting fundamental human values. This is reflected in the recent position we have made public, where we propose an ethical and responsible approach in its implementation at all levels of our organization,” explained Rector Etxeberria.
In this sense, the gender perspective that characterizes this congress is, according to the head of Deusto, one of the key points of this positioning. “We need all talents to join in the ideation and construction of a technology that is already shaping our society, so that it reflects diversity and enhances equality. This is something we have been concerned about for a long time”.
Leaky pipeline
In this regard, she detailed the numerous initiatives launched by Deusto that seek to respond to the different holes that “we have detected in the leaking pipeline and through which we are losing female talent in technological fields”. Among them, the Inspira STEAM program, the Ada Byron Award or the European RE-WIRING project, which promotes transforming institutions to generate systemic change and leadership, without forgetting initiatives focused on families, such as the Nobel Run board game. “These are just some of the actions we promote to build a more inclusive and fairer technology,” he explained.
Ethics and sustainability, central themes of this meeting, are also at the heart of the University's educational mission. Deusto strives to train people who not only adapt to change, but also lead it consciously and responsibly. All these interests are aligned with the purposes of the EDA Congress, in whose round tables, presentations and spaces for exchange the aim has been to learn and collaborate, seeking answers to questions that are not only technical, but deeply human in order to design a future where technology is a positive force, at the service of a more just society. Rector's speech.
Women leaders from different sectors such as science, health, law and sustainability met at the EDA Congress to share ideas, create alliances and build a more inclusive, intelligent and equitable tomorrow. During the day, it was possible to meet pioneers who are leading the integration of AI with a gender perspective and discuss the ethical challenges that artificial intelligence brings and how they can be addressed together. In addition, the meeting sought to create strategic connections that enhance the personal and professional growth of the participants and to discover how artificial intelligence is transforming key sectors and how each person can be part of this change.
