By Alexandra Solano, director of Center for Digital Evolution of Business School of Tecnológico de Monterrey
On October 12 and 13, the IA Sin Límite Superior Congress was held in the city of Monterrey, organized by the 10,000 Women for Mexico Association with the support of the Digital Evolution Center of the Tecnológico de Monterrey.
The event brought together businesswomen and entrepreneurs with the fundamental objective of giving them a complete overview of the latest technological trends and the way in which they can be used to boost their businesses.
An event of this relevance makes it timely to take a look at the way in which technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can revolutionize companies, as well as analyze the presence and role that women currently have in digital transformation and leadership processes in the companies. Until 2021, Mexico reported one woman for every 10 members on the boards of directors of public companies listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange and the Institutional Stock Exchange, which continues to represent a challenge for our society.
Representation does matter
Ivonne Mejía, Director of Solutions Sales at Microsoft Mexico, highlighted during the Congress the importance of implementing policies that systemically generate the inclusion of women in roles that can traditionally be attributed to men.
You have probably heard criticism on some occasion about “women quotas” in some organization, public or private. However, the success of these policies depends on the way leaders at the helm of a company approach and implement them.
That is to say, the inclusion of women, for example, in a recruitment, means a seedbed for the future, because when the right moment arrives in their preparation, these women will be ready for increasingly challenging and relevant roles in the organization, very far away. of being the ones chosen to meet a quota, but because they will be the best prepared and competent element to occupy the position. If, on the other hand, women are only included to “cover the quota” and without a development project, the organization will not make significant progress in its inclusion process.
AI as a co-pilot to increase creativity and innovation
Much has been said about the role that AI will have in the jobs of the present and the future, about whether we will be replaced or jobs will be lost. The only thing that is certain is that it is a technology that is here to stay and, as in the advances experienced by humanity in the past, those who manage to adapt in the best way will be the ones who obtain the greatest benefit. Therefore, companies that want to take full advantage of the benefits of AI must have leaders capable of:
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Detect those activities that undermine the productivity of your collaborators. The best way to do this is to actively listen to them.
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Free up time and workloads using AI-powered tools. The objective is not to fill that space with more occupations or even think about reducing staff, but rather to focus it on creative work and innovation, something that continues to be the unique quality of human beings.
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Generate skills in collaborators to handle AI, such as prompt engineering. That is, knowing how to use AI correctly and obtain quality information.
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Knowing how to detect and implement the evolution of roles and functions, giving the opportunity for the reinvention of collaborators.
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Manage change in an agile manner, since in the face of a technology that raises many new paradigms, the response capacity must be quick and skillful.
Technology in favor of entrepreneurs and businesswomen
According to the National Occupation and Employment Survey, between June 2022 and June 2023, for every man who got a paid job, formal or informal, three women did so. And according to data from Canaintra, of the total number of employers in the country, women represent 20.1%. That is to say, more and more women are a factor of change and momentum in Mexico's economy.
To the extent that spaces continue to be built and opened for women to take advantage of the use of technology, continue entrepreneurship, occupy management positions and lead organizations, the greater the competitiveness and growth of Mexican companies.
Woman-to-woman mentoring such as those offered by the Association 10,000 Mujeres por México are of high value for SMEs. Let's continue walking towards a country that takes advantage of its women and technology to generate value.