UN Women flags AI risks to gender equality amid global governance debates

A UN Women report warns that artificial‑intelligence systems can reinforce gender stereotypes, increase digital violence against women and widen labour‑market gaps. The study, based on a compilation of recent research, finds many AI tools associate women with domestic roles and men with leadership, reflecting biased training data. It also highlights the low representation of women in AI development and the limited inclusion of gender perspectives in national AI policies. The report calls for gender‑responsive regulation ahead of two international AI‑governance meetings in Geneva in July.

At the same time, experts note that countries are adopting divergent approaches to AI governance. The United States relies on private‑sector innovation with minimal regulation, the European Union has implemented a comprehensive AI Act, and China pursues a state‑directed strategy that links AI to national security and development. Mexico, according to the OECD, lacks a cohesive national AI strategy despite over 60 legislative initiatives since 2020, risking reliance on external rule‑making. Observers argue that effective AI governance must combine innovation, rights protection, productivity gains and legal certainty, and that gender considerations should be integral to these frameworks.