The fifth edition of AIxGIRLS kicked off on Monday, July 20th.
Every year, this project reaffirms the immense value of creating opportunities for girls from diverse regions, schools, and academic backgrounds to connect. I am particularly pleased with the significant participation of girls from Southern Italy this year; they will enrich our community with new experiences and fresh perspectives. Over the past four editions, we have built far more than just a training program: we have created a network of young women.
At the heart of AIxGIRLS lies its multidisciplinary approach. Artificial intelligence demands technical skills, certainly, but also a grounding in the humanities, social sciences, and ethics, as well as the ability to grasp complexity.
We want to convey a clear message: the digital world and artificial intelligence are not sterile realms reserved for a select few—specifically men—but spaces to be shaped through creativity, responsibility, and inclusion.
Another distinctive feature is our all-female faculty—researchers, professionals, and experts who embody potential career paths and demonstrate the profound impact role models can have.
Gender Bias
On the second day, I spoke about artificial intelligence and gender bias.
We reflected on how algorithms are never completely neutral, how data can perpetuate societal stereotypes, and why it is crucial for more women to participate in designing the technologies that are already shaping millions of decisions.
Over the past few days, I read the statements submitted by the young women selected for the camp; words like curiosity, future, skills, learning, sharing, and contributing came up again and again.
Of course, this is not a representative sample of all girls their age. These are young women who chose to step up and get involved, sharing a strong interest in artificial intelligence and STEM fields. Precisely for this reason, however, they offer a valuable perspective and can lead the way, demonstrating what happens when talent, opportunity, and confidence come together.
That is why AIxGirls is so much more than just a summer camp!
It is a space where these young women can exchange ideas, find role models, build a network, and realize that their perspective is not an exception, but an indispensable asset for designing better technologies.
If artificial intelligence is making millions of decisions ten years from now, the question won’t just be which algorithms we use, but who helped design them. A big thank you to all the AIxGirls participants for their enthusiasm, their questions, and the quality of our discussions!
The energy they shared gives me an extra boost to continue building awareness and fostering understanding around these issues.
