CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Archana Joshi, Associate Vice President – Strategy, LTIMindtree
Q1. In India, women are achieving remarkable progress in the domains of machine learning and robotics, shattering barriers and playing a crucial role in technological advancements that have traditionally been male-dominated. What obstacles do women encounter as they strive to make this substantial impact? Additionally, kindly highlight any notable accomplishments you have achieved as a female leader in this field. How did you manage to attain these milestones while effectively balancing your household responsibilities, considering the societal expectations that often exempt men from such obligations in Indian society? Alternatively, what has been your experience collaborating with women in the technology sector in India? How do you perceive their contribution to the progress of the industry, especially given the challenges of balancing work and household duties?
Ans: I may not have started my career thinking in a particular way but when I look back and retrospect on some of the important career decisions that I have made, I can say that the motto of “Stop Worrying. Start Doing” is something that has helped me. Unconscious biases exist within the system be it India or elsewhere and it is not restricted to the field of technology. The bias might not be intentional but might be due to the deep-rooted assumptions that people make based on how they have seen society functions. To tackle these kinds of assumptions, we need to be willing to challenge our own thinking and behaviour. We need to be curious and open-minded, and to try new things and learn from our mistakes. We should not let fear or doubt stop us from pursuing our goals or expressing our opinions. It is always important to have an open conversation and ask for what you deserve.
Q2. How would you define women’s current involvement and contributions to the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics in India? Additionally, what role can the active and increased participation of women play in enabling India to emerge as a leading nation and frontrunner in developing and advancing cutting-edge technologies like AI, machine learning, and robotics? In your perspective, how crucial is promoting greater gender diversity and empowering women in these technological domains for India to establish itself as a global powerhouse in the new technology race?
Ans: As per recent IMF report (Gen-AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work (imf.org)) there is almost 40 percent of global employment is exposed to AI. AI has the potential to reshape the global economy, especially in the realm of labor markets. There are some consistent patterns concerning AI exposure, with women and college-educated individuals more exposed. Today there are several steps taken from DEI perspective in corporate India. But if you want to see a long-term change, it is important to address the problems at the grassroot levels. In India, you will see a divide that does exist between the access that women have to learning and development in rural vs urban. While the internet and digital infrastructure is helping; there is still a long way to bridge the gap. I mentor college students who have come from smaller towns and cities in India who may not have access to the state-of-the-art resources while growing up. Some of these students that I have come across have some brilliant ideas and hunger to contribute and do more. I think it is our responsibility to nurture these young minds across hinterlands of India, attract them to the STEM areas and spread not just “Literacy” but “AI Literacy” as well.
Q3. Who are the female leaders that you admire in society for their contributions to advancing the fields of AI, machine learning, and robotics?
Ans: One of the female leader I admire in the AI/ML space is Fei-Fei Li, who is a computer scientist and a professor at Stanford University. She is known for establishing ImageNet, a large-scale dataset for computer vision research. She is also a co-director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence and a co-founder of AI4ALL, a nonprofit organization that promotes diversity and inclusion in AI.
Q4. While there are a notable number of women leaders in the technology industry, they still appear to be outnumbered by their male counterparts in top leadership positions. How can this persistent gender disparity and underrepresentation of women in tech leadership roles be effectively addressed? Additionally, in what specific ways is the government/authorities encouraging and promoting greater participation of women in emerging technological fields like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics? Given the long-held perception of these domains being traditionally male-dominated, what measures can be taken to make them more welcoming and inclusive for women leaders and professionals? Is it possible to fundamentally change this biased perception to attract and retain more female talent in AI, ML, and robotics in India?
Ans: A Nasscom report says that most startups use AI to improve their products and work better. This shows that there is a lot of innovation with AI/ML and Tech. But last year, only 10-11% of the funding raised by startups went to those run by women. We need to do more to support them. The government in collaboration with the VC’s can help create more funding opportunities and support networks for women entrepreneurs and innovators in the AI and robotics field by what I call as the 3E approach – Engage, Enable, Establish
- Engage: Creating platforms, forums, and networks to showcase and celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in the field, and to facilitate collaboration and exchange of ideas
- Enable: Mentorship, training, and education programs to encourage and empower women to pursue careers and leadership roles in the field of AI and robotics
- Establish: Providing grants, subsidies, tax incentives, and other financial assistance to women-led startups and projects in the field
Q5. Provide examples of influential women leaders who have made significant contributions to India’s technology sector, similar to Sudha Murthy
Ans: The IT field talked a lot about AI / GenAI last year, but we should also remember the amazing Chandrayaan mission by the ISRO. This was truly a feat where cutting edge technology and innovation came together. Behind this exemplary achievement, there were women in crucial positions as scientists, directors and project managers working tirelessly to ensure the success of the mission. They are all inspiring examples for us and for the young generation who will come after us.
