New Delhi: Artificial intelligence (AI) could become another major front in the fight against gender inequality, with experts warning that women risk being left out of the decisions, opportunities and benefits emerging from the rapidly expanding AI economy.
The concerns come as India continues to face challenges in narrowing the gender gap. According to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Index 2026, India ranked 131st globally, trailing neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, while ranking ahead of Pakistan.
The WEF estimates that achieving complete gender parity worldwide could take another 120 years at the current rate of progress. The timeline for Southern Asia is considerably longer, at approximately 149 years.
Although the report did not provide a separate estimate for India, the country could take around 149 to 150 years to achieve gender parity if current trends continue. India’s gender parity score stands at 64.5 per cent, matching the regional average but remaining below the global average of 69.2 per cent.
Experts caution that the expansion of AI could further widen existing disparities if women are not adequately represented in technology development, policy formulation and leadership.
They emphasise that women’s participation in decision-making is essential to ensure that AI-driven growth creates equal opportunities and benefits for all sections of society.
As AI increasingly influences employment, education and economic development, ensuring gender-inclusive policies and equitable access to emerging technologies will be crucial to preventing existing inequalities from becoming more deeply entrenched.
