91% of women leaders in the UAE are optimistic about gender equality in AI leadership, Cloudera survey reveals

There is significant progress in AI leadership, but representation gaps and token diversity efforts still need to be addressed

Dubai, UAE – 20th November, 2025 – As the Middle East accelerates its transformation into a global technology hub, women are emerging as key drivers of innovation and leadership in AI. A new report from Cloudera, the only company bringing AI to data anywhere, unveiled at EVOLVE25 Dubai, reveals how women leaders across the region are shaping the future of AI while calling for deeper action on equality and representation.

Surveying IT leaders across the Middle East, the Women in Leadership in Technology (WLIT) survey highlights a strong sense of optimism about AI’s potential to drive gender equality, even as challenges persist regarding leadership representation and access to tech skills.

IT leaders in the UAE are optimistic about the potential of AI to advance gender equality but remain concerned about persistent barriers in leadership representation and access to training. 50% of them still see a gender imbalance in the sector, but many believe AI can be a force for change. In fact, 88% say AI will play a key role in promoting gender balance in technology, and the same percentage believes that women in IT will be instrumental in shaping future AI strategies and governance.

Eman Gammoh, Head of AI, Arab Bank, said, “The optimism surrounding female AI leadership in the region is palpable. We are not only participating; we are key drivers, fundamentally shaping the future of AI strategy and governance. At Arab Bank, we are dedicated to fostering the talent and inclusive environment where these influential leaders can emerge and thrive.”

At the same time, there’s concern about what the leadership pipeline looks like. Almost half (46%) worry about the lack of women in senior AI roles, while 44% are concerned that this under-representation could lead to bias in how AI systems are developed or applied.

“Wherever data lives, AI follows. That is the reality our customers are dealing with,” said Manasi Vartek, Chief AI Architect, Cloudera. “If organisations want AI they can trust, they need two things. First, a unified data foundation that gives them consistent governance across clouds, data centres, and the edge. Second, the human groundwork. That means targeted training for women in technical and leadership tracks and clear pathways into senior AI roles.”

There is a strong belief among leaders that AI can be both a leveller and an amplifier. With the right policies, AI can support gender balance, but without diversity in leadership, it risks embedding bias into future systems. 

Limited opportunities at the senior leadership level are cited by 52% as the single biggest challenge. On enablement, 84% say organisations need to do more to provide women with AI training. Two-thirds (67%) feel gender equality is still treated as a tick-box exercise inside many firms, and 64% point to limited access to upskilling as a critical bottleneck on career progression, followed by 60% who see a lack of representation in AI-focused departments. Despite this, 91% remain optimistic that gender equality in AI leadership will improve within five years.

While women in IT are stepping into influential roles, limited senior leadership opportunities and restricted access to upskilling continue to stall progress.

EVOLVE25 is Cloudera’s global data and AI conference series. The Dubai edition gathers regional leaders to discuss enterprise AI, modern data architectures, and the operationalisation of responsible AI. Sessions include a dedicated Women Leaders in Technology track that reflects the agenda’s focus on leadership, skills, and practical paths to impact. 

Learn more about Cloudera’s Women Leaders in Technology.

About Cloudera

Cloudera is the only data and AI platform company that brings AI to data anywhere: in the cloud, data centers, and at the edge. Cloudera delivers a consistent cloud experience that converges public clouds, data centers, and the edge, leveraging a proven open-source foundation. Cloudera delivers 100% of data in all forms – whether in Cloudera or anywhere in the entire data estate. The world’s largest organizations rely on Cloudera to fuel insights that boost bottom lines, safeguard against threats, and save lives.

To learn more, visit Cloudera.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X. Cloudera and associated marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cloudera, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information, please visit https://www.cloudera.com/

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