Nine in 10 women would consider transitioning into AI-focused roles with organisational support: Report

Nine in 10 women would consider transitioning into an AI-focused role with the right organisational support, with six in 10 giving a definitive yes, highlighting an untapped reservoir of talent ready to fill the AI skills gap, finds a new report.

Of those surveyed, 64% said AI adoption has accelerated their path to senior roles, with AI capability emerging as a significant career differentiator than tenure or traditional performance metrics, according to the third edition of the Women in Technology report--Rethinking Opportunity, Equity & The Future of Work--The Evolving Landscape for Women in Technology in the Age of AI– 2026, by ANSR, in collaboration with Talent500.

The report on 2,500-odd women professionals draws insights from women professionals across IT, GCCs, and emerging tech sectors, and explores how AI is redefining leadership pipelines and reshaping career trajectories. It draws insights from women professionals in IT/ITeS, global capability centres (GCCs), startups, and product companies across India.


The findings capture a decisive inflection point in the evolution of women’s careers in the age of AI. India produces 43% of the world’s female STEM graduates—the largest pipeline globally--yet women hold nearly 29% of entry level tech roles and a mere 14% of C-suite seats. The 2026 report dismantles the ‘pipeline myth’ that has dominated boardroom conversations for over 10 years. The gap is not the talent but systems and AI is the most powerful lever that can bridge the gap, if organisations are willing to use it with intent, according to the report.

Of those surveyed, 65% are optimistic about their AI opportunities, with 36% identifying as very optimistic, signalling a workforce eager to lead the next wave of tech transformation. Further, 69% of women report AI has opened new career pathways, indicating strong momentum in AI-enabled career advancement such as product strategy, AI governance, and transformation leadership roles.

India’s GCCs are showing relatively stronger gender representation with women holding approximately 16-17% of the nearly 6,500 total leadership roles. However, there remains a significant gap, with around a 40% drop in representation from entry-level to senior leadership.

“The 2026 insights highlight a clear pattern--the AI readiness is here and the optimism is real. The capability is building at scale. What separates the organisations that lead in the next decade from those that fall behind is how leaders actively embed equity into their AI transformation or treat it as secondary. India’s GCC ecosystem has a game-changing opportunity to set the global standard. The question is whether it seizes that," said Smitha Hemmigae, managing director, ANSR.

The report highlights that while AI is expanding career pathways and accelerating progression into senior leadership, persistent structural barriers continue to limit full leadership conversion. This is also enabling women to gain more time for women to invest in higher-value professional and personal opportunities. As AI moves from experimentation to execution in the overall enterprise landscape, the organisations that merge women into the core of that transformation will develop the innovation, governance credibility, and leadership resilience that defines competitive advantage for the decade ahead, rather than widening gender representation gaps.

“AI proficiency is defining the leadership advantage, and women in tech are quickly scaling it. For GCCs specifically, the imperative is three-fold: formalise sponsorship with accountability, ensure equitable access to high-impact AI projects, and build governance frameworks that reflect the diversity of the talent shaping India’s AI future," said Monica Jamwal, managing director, talent solutions, ANSR & Talent500.