SheAI Founders’ Story: Empowering Women in AI

This article is a summary of the first-ever Spill the Tea Tuesdays meet-up, Founders' edition. We'll uncover how the idea of SheAI came to life, some of our biggest successes and failures, and the exciting path ahead.

We launched Spill the Tea Tuesdays with a simple goal: create a space where women could openly discuss the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence. The first edition - our Founders Edition - wasn’t just about introducing ourselves. It was about setting the tone for everything SheAI represents: breaking down barriers, amplifying women’s voices, and shaping a more inclusive AI future.

Our Journeys: From Teaching, Baking & Cultural Studies to AI

Each of us comes from a very different background, but those differences are what make SheAI strong.

Kris comes from Russia and spent over 15 years in education and operations, always coming back to her passion for teaching. A self-confessed fantasy book lover, she even dreamed of opening her own bakery before realizing education and AI were her true calling.

Stephy is a psychologist, martial artist, and lifelong learner from Venezuela. Growing up where opportunities for women were often limited to beauty pageants or motherhood, she saw AI education as a way to open doors that had been closed for generations.

Maja grew up in Slovenia, lived in five countries, and worked across cultural studies, social entrepreneurship, and community building. Rooted in curiosity, she’s an adventurer at heart, whether hiking, dancing, or diving into books on productivity and dystopias.

Together, we merged our diverse experiences to build something bigger than ourselves.

The “Aha” Moment: Why SheAI Exists

At first, we thought about creating an AI education platform for everyone. But the deeper we researched, the clearer it became: women urgently needed this.

• Women use AI 25% less than men and hold just 22% of AI jobs.
• Many women view AI as “too technical” or worry about issues like data privacy, AI ethics, and bias.
• Cultural and social factors widen the gap; from underrepresentation in STEM to limited access to the tech world in developing countries.
• Closing the digital divide for women entrepreneurs is not only a moral imperative and a $5 trillion economic opportunity (World Economic Forum)!

We saw women being left behind in what is arguably the most transformative technology of our generation. That was our “aha” moment: SheAI needed to exist to bridge the gender gap in AI.

Creating a Community of Women in AI

Education is powerful, but education combined with community, mentorship, and peer learning is unstoppable.

We knew from the start that SheAI couldn’t just be courses. It had to be an all-encompassing women's AI ecosystem. That’s why we built WhatsApp groups, book clubs, organized meetups, expert webinars, and introduced interactive learning spaces where women feel safe to ask questions, share mistakes, and grow together.

As Maja explained during the Founders Edition:

“Mindset is everything. We want women to feel like this is their space to speak up about AI and claim their seat at the table.”

This community-first approach is what makes SheAI different and what makes AI empowerment for women not only possible but inevitable.

Crafting AI Courses That Make a Difference

From Inspiration to Partnership: Building Authority

Our inspiration came partly from Female Invest, whose founders showed us the power of democratizing knowledge for women. The founders of Female Invest recently started following our journey personally, which felt like an incredible full-circle moment.

And when we're on the topic of full-circle moments, we have to mention another milestone that reshaped our growth: our partnership with the United Nations.

Through determination (and a very long weekend reworking our pitch deck and our educational materials), we secured a collaboration with the UN. Today, every SheAI course is UN-certified, giving our members credentials they can proudly showcase on LinkedIn, CVs, and beyond.

This isn’t just validation. It’s proof that SheAI belongs at the global table alongside organizations like Microsoft.

The Future of AI is Female: Our Vision for SheAI

We have since secured partnerships with more than 30 women's communities with a mission of democratizing AI knowledge, and we're just getting started. Our future vision includes:

• An AI tutor to guide women through personalized learning journeys.
• A Netflix-style library of resources for female-focused AI education.
• The world’s first female-centered small language model (SLM), designed to embed inclusivity, empathy, and representation into AI itself.
• Courses for jobs of the future, preparing women for roles that don’t even exist yet.

We believe the future of AI must be inclusive. By offering AI skills for career growth and practical tools for women entrepreneurs, SheAI ensures women are not just participants but leaders shaping the field of artificial intelligence.

Key Takeaways for Female Entrepreneurs

What can you learn from SheAI’s journey so far?

1. Partnerships matter. The right allies can open doors you didn’t even know existed.

2. Community drives growth. Surround yourself with peers who push you higher.

3. Education is empowerment. Knowledge unlocks freedom, confidence, and opportunity.

Or, as Stephy reminded us during our conversation:

“Education is democracy. It’s your right to shape how the world moves forward.”

Feeling inspired? Join our free community of women who are ready to lead the future of AI and beyond. We'll be with you every step of the way!

FAQs About Women in AI and SheAI

Q1: Why should women learn AI?
Women currently use AI 25% less than men and hold just 22% of AI jobs. By learning AI, women gain future-proof skills, influence innovation, and help shape more inclusive technologies.

Q2: Why should we close the gender gap in AI?
Closing the digital gender gap isn’t just fair, it’s an economic necessity. The World Economic Forum estimates that doing so could unlock $5 trillion USD in global GDP. More women in AI means better innovation, more ethical systems, and technologies that serve society as a whole.

Q2: What barriers prevent women from adopting AI tools?
Many women perceive AI as too complex or unsafe, with concerns about data privacy, bias, and ethics. Cultural and language barriers also limit adoption. Addressing these challenges requires education, representation, and accessible training tailored for women. 

Q3: How does diversity in AI improve technology outcomes?
AI built with diverse perspectives avoids bias, improves inclusivity, and produces better solutions. Women bring empathy, ethical awareness, and community-focused design that can make AI more human-centered and responsible.

Q4: What role does community play in AI education?
Community learning provides mentorship, peer support, and confidence-building. Women thrive in collaborative spaces where they can share resources, learn together, and feel safe experimenting with AI without judgment.

Q5: How can women use AI to grow their businesses?
From automating tasks to scaling content creation, AI helps women entrepreneurs save time, boost productivity, and reach larger audiences. With the right tools, AI becomes a competitive advantage for women-led businesses.

Q6: What future opportunities exist for women in AI?
New AI jobs are emerging every day, from AI ethics advisors to automation specialists. By learning now, women position themselves at the forefront of the digital economy and ensure they aren’t excluded from future careers.