I’m worried about women in tech.

Are we about to lose all the progress we’ve made?

Women have spent decades fighting their way toward equality in tech. But with the rise of AI, I can feel that progress slipping through our fingers - and if we don’t act fast, we could end up further behind than where we started.

The AI gold rush is here. Companies are throwing money, power, and status at anyone who looks and smells “AI-native.” And guess who’s cashing in? Mostly men. Show me one woman-led AI acquihire with a disclosed, large price tag. Meanwhile, I can rattle off the male-led ones with rumored billions.

And listen, men - I applaud you for it. This isn’t a dig at you. This is a rallying cry for women to step up and claim our share of the future.

Let’s look at some stats:

• A global analysis found that women make up less than one-third of AI-skilled professionals. (Deloitte)

• In adoption of generative AI: U.S. data shows 33 % of women vs 44 % of men reported using or experimenting with gen AI in 2024. (Deloitte)

• Women are less likely to be in AI-augmented roles and more likely in roles vulnerable to automation: 57% of women vs 43% of men in jobs likely to be disrupted. (World Economic Forum)

And the gap is growing, because AI skills now show up everywhere. Here’s what I’m seeing in job listings:

• “Experience leveraging AI/LLM tools” - showing up in marketing, ops, and HR roles.

• “AI prompt design”- now required for content, UX, and even sales.

• “Cloud-based AI solution deployment,” “AI data pipeline automation,” “gen-AI workflow integration” - common in product and strategy roles.

• “Vibe-coding” - popping across product, design, marketing, and operational roles.

The job market is quietly dividing into two groups: people who know how to work with AI, and people who get replaced by those who can.

And women are quietly falling in the wrong group.

When I joined Lovable, I naively thought our user base would be 50/50 men and women (pink-and-purple brand with a heart logo should help, right!?). Wrong. Women aren’t even close to half our users - our best guess is around 20%. How disappointing is that? I kept asking myself, why? There’s no barrier to entry anymore. You can just show up and start building - no code, no gatekeepers. But still, no such luck.

Hard truth: women often need that extra push -a reason, an excuse, a shove out of comfort. But my fear? For too many, that push will come too late.

So we started SheBuilds on Lovable - a women-only buildathon to help close that gap. In our first cohort, nearly 3,000 women applied. 200 joined. Some built traditional B2B and B2C SaaS, but so many built products for elder care, kids, households, and community service - the kinds of problems traditional tech has ignored because they don’t fit the “VC-backable SaaS” mold.

Just look at what some women said about the experience:

YASSS!

Until now, building software was expensive. You needed deep technical skills or venture funding - both dominated by men. But today, the cost of building is close to zero. Anyone can create. Anyone can monetize. Anyone can win.

Now we can build software that’s hyper-local, hyper-specialized, and deeply tuned to the real problems in our communities. And women will lead this next wave - I know it. That’s just how our brains work.

But we need women to start exploring it now, because if we don’t seize this window, we’re going to watch the gap widen all over again.

Now some may say: “It’s early, women can catch up later.” That’s wishful thinking. Early adoption sets hierarchy. The people experimenting now become the default “AI experts” later - and that title compounds into promotions, equity, and power. Miss this wave, and you’re not behind for a year - you’re behind for a decade.

Others may say: “AI tools are easy - no need to worry.” There’s a difference between using AI and building with AI. Prompting ChatGPT isn’t the same as creating an app, automation, or model. Users don’t shape the market; builders do.

Here’s what I know: this moment could unlock the biggest wave of women builders in history - if we lean in now. We can build software that solves problems the world has ignored, and we don’t need to chase unicorns to do it. We can create a new generation of “mom-and-pop SaaS”- profitable, independent, purpose-driven.

And the best part? It can give women something we’ve been fighting for all along - solopreneurship path with purpose, balance, and control. Control over your schedule. Over your income. Over your life. The kind of independence every mom dreams about.

But if we hesitate, AI becomes the next boys’ club.

So here’s my call:

• Women - lean in. Get curious. Build something with AI… *anything*.

• Grab another woman and pull her in with you.

• Men - keep leading, but help open the door wider.

Because this isn’t just about equality. It’s about economic survival. The people who build the future own it.

Tips on how to start:

• Build a tutoring app for your kid’s weakest subject (I built one for my son in ELA).

• Build your personal site - your “AI-native” resume (here is mine - you can remix it)

• Anything that is annoying to you - go automate it with AI.

Remember, you need to treat AI like a career accelerant, not a curiosity. List concrete AI skills on your resume and use them in interviews. Employers are already paying premiums for “AI-native” experience.

And if you want community, join our next SheBuilds on Lovable cohort this December - 48 hours of women-only building, unlimited credits, and real collaboration. Follow me on LinkedIn for an announcement later this week or jump onto our waitlist NOW.

(Also… we’re planning HUGE SheBuilds on March 8, International Women’s Day. Want to join the cause by sponsoring, mentoring, or volunteering? Comment or reply)

Because this time, we’re not asking for a seat at the table.
We’re building a new one.