AI/ML most preferred career track for women in tech: Kalaari Capital report
Launched at the TiEcon Delhi 2025, the report stated that 41% of women in technology are choosing AI/ML over other domains—a figure that even surpasses that of their male counterparts at 37%.
Women make up only one in five professionals in India’s technology workforce, and this number is projected to grow nearly fourfold by 2027, with over 3.3 lakh women expected to hold AI roles, a report launched on the concluding day of TiEcon Delhi 2025 highlighted.
The report by Kalaari Capital, CXXO’s Wired for Impact: Women in Ind (AI), recognised and applauded the achievements of women leaders shaping India’s AI landscape.
It stated that AI/ML has emerged as the most preferred career track for women in technology, with 41% choosing it over other domains—a figure that even surpasses that of their male counterparts at 37%.
Here are some insights from the report:
India is a global leader in women STEM education, with 43% of annual STEM enrollment coming from women.
Only one in four women who enrolled for a STEM degree enters a STEM job, compared with most men. Women make up just 27% of India’s STEM workforce.
In just two years, women’s share of ChatGPT users has grown almost 3X, and India—now the platform’s largest user base—reflects the same momentum, with women actively exploring and adopting AI tools.
In just three years, the number of women professionals in AI/ML could grow nearly 4X.
Even within the $542 million raised by women-led AI startups, the pie isn’t evenly shared: five startups alone account for over $320 million, revealing a long tail of underfunded ventures.
Among the top 24 AI startups in India that have raised over $50 million, only four include a woman co-founder, and none have an all-women founding team.
The GenAI talent pipeline is the narrowest for women, who account for roughly a third of entry-level professionals, yet by the time senior roles are filled, their share has fallen to just two in ten.
Speaking at the conference in Delhi on Thursday, Vani Kola, Managing Director of Kalaari Capital, said, “Innovation reaches its full potential only when it reflects the diversity of those it serves. In India, women continue to be underrepresented in technology, especially in roles that require advanced technical skills or leadership. With AI specifically, underrepresentation doesn’t just limit participation; it limits perspective and, ultimately, impact.”
She added, “When the systems we build learn and reason from a narrow or biased worldview, they risk encoding those same limitations into the intelligence that shapes our future. If India is to build better and more trustworthy AI for the world, diversity must be treated as a mission-critical KPI—one we actively measure, invest in, and achieve together.”
The report also includes a list of notable women in AI featuring tech titans, industry icons and knowledge pioneers.
Disclaimer: Kalaari Capital is an investor in YourStory Media
Edited by Suman Singh