by June Kaminski, RN MSN PhD(c)
Editor in Chief
Citation: Kaminski, J. (2025). Editorial. Celebrating women in AI this October: A Canadian Perspective. Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics, 20(3). https://cjni.net/journal/?p=15309
October marks a time of reflection, celebration, and advocacy for women in artificial intelligence (AI). Across the world, October 1st is dedicated to highlighting women’s achievements, contributions, and leadership in a field that is rapidly shaping our societies, and, in some countries, the whole month of October Is dedicated to this. In North America, Women in AI Day and Women in AI Month offer crucial opportunities to amplify the voices of women in this sector, spotlight role models, and call for greater equity in a technology landscape that still skews heavily male.
Why Women in AI Month Matters
Artificial intelligence is transforming everything from how we work and learn to how we access health care and understand climate change. Yet, despite its wide-reaching influence, women remain underrepresented in AI research, development, and leadership. According to a recent UNESCO report (UNESCO, 2021), fewer than 20% of AI professionals globally are women, and the numbers in Canada reflect this same imbalance. This underrepresentation is not just a matter of fairness—it shapes how AI systems are designed, trained, and applied.
When women’s perspectives are absent, AI technology risks embedding gender bias, overlooking societal needs, and reinforcing inequities rather than dismantling them. Celebrating Women in AI Month ensures that diverse voices are heard, that inclusion becomes a core value, and that the transformative potential of AI is harnessed for the benefit of all.
Canada’s Leadership and Challenges
Canada holds a unique position in the global AI ecosystem. As one of the first countries to launch a national AI strategy in 2017, Canada has become a hub for cutting-edge research, home to world-renowned institutes such as Mila in Montreal, the Vector Institute in Toronto, and the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII) in Edmonton (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, 2017). Yet, despite this leadership, gender representation in AI remains a challenge.
Canadian women are producing groundbreaking research, leading start-ups, and shaping policy, but too often their work goes unnoticed. October provides a platform to recognize these contributions and to inspire the next generation of women and girls to pursue careers in AI.
Celebrating Role Models
This month is about showcasing the remarkable women already making an impact in Canadian AI. From researchers developing ethical frameworks for machine learning, to engineers designing AI-powered tools for health care, to entrepreneurs using AI to address climate change and sustainability, women are driving innovation across sectors. Some of these women hold powerful positions in the Canadian AI landscape. For instance, Glenda Crisp is the current President and CEO of the Vector Institute (Vector Institute, 2025) and Valérie Pisano is the current President and CEO of Mila (Mila, 2025). As well, Elissa Strome is the Executive Director of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy from the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) (CIFAR, 2025).
Highlighting their work matters. Role models inspire young women to see themselves in AI and STEM fields, which have historically excluded or discouraged them. Events throughout October, including workshops, conferences, and networking sessions, create spaces where women can connect, share their experiences, and mentor one another. These spaces foster community and resilience in a field that can often feel isolating (Women in AI Canada, 2025a).
Building Equity Through Action
Celebration alone is not enough. Women in AI Day and Month must also serve as a call to action. Creating more inclusive AI requires structural changes at every level:
Education and Early Exposure
Girls need early encouragement to explore STEM subjects, coding, and computational thinking. Programs that connect young women to mentors in AI can make a lifelong difference. The free Destination AI: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course is one example of an educational program meant to excite people about learning more about AI (CIFAR, 2025b).
Workplace Equity
Companies must commit to equitable hiring, transparent promotion pathways, and supportive workplace cultures that value diversity.
Policy and Regulation
Governments should design AI policies with gender equity in mind, ensuring that ethical frameworks explicitly address representation and bias. “With this goal in mind, the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) Responsible AI Working Group, supported by Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute and CEIMIA, has produced a report, “Towards Substantive Equality in Artificial Intelligence: Transformative AI Policy for Gender Equality and Diversity,” and an accompanying policy guide to help policymakers implement their recommendations” (Prud’homme, 2024).
Research and Funding
Women-led AI projects deserve greater access to funding and visibility. This not only levels the playing field but enriches the scope and impact of research. An example of an initial preparatory resource for this is the WAI Canada Research Lab (Women in AI Canada, 2025b).
AI in health care is growing in Canada at an astonishing rate. “It is expected to affect all aspects of the system from public health planning and disease diagnosis and prognosis to clinical documentation and other administrative processes” (Canada’s Drug Agency, 2025). Canada has the potential to lead globally in embedding gender equity into its AI strategy in healthcare and across sectors. But this will require sustained effort, investment, and accountability. Let’s start by celebrating the Canadian women who are exceling in AI already, and the ones yet to join this growing but exclusive circle.
References
Canada’s Drug Agency. (2025). 2025 watch list: Artificial intelligence. https://www.cda-amc.ca/2025-watch-list-artificial-intelligence
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. (2017). Pan-Canadian artificial intelligence strategy. https://cifar.ca/ai/
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. (2025a). Elissa Strome: Executive Director, Pan-Canadian AI strategy. https://cifar.ca/bios/elissa-strome/
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. (2025b). Destination AI: Introduction to artificial intelligence course. https://cifar.ca/ai/destinationai/
Global Partnership on AI. (2024a). Towards substantive equality in Artificial Intelligence: Transformative AI policy for gender equality and diversity, Report. https://wp.oecd.ai/app/uploads/2025/05/towards-substantive-equality-in-artificial-intelligence_Transformative-AI-policy-for-gender-equality-and-diversity.pdf
Global Partnership on AI. (2024b). Policy guide for implementing transformative AI policy recommendations, Report. https://wp.oecd.ai/app/uploads/2025/05/policy-guide-for-implementing-transformative-AI-policy-recommendations-2.pdf
Mila. (2025). Valérie Pisano, Leadership Team: President and CEO. https://mila.quebec/en/directory/valerie-pisano
Prud’homme, B. (2024). AI for everyone? A roadmap to substantive equality in AI ecosystems. Mila. https://mila.quebec/en/insight/ai-for-everyone-a-roadmap-to-substantive-equality-in-ai-ecosystems
UNESCO. (2021). To be smart, the digital revolution will need to be inclusive: Excerpt from the UNESCO science report. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000375429
Vector Institute. (2025). Glenda Crisp, President and CEO. https://vectorinstitute.ai/team/glenda-crisp/
Women in AI Canada. (2025a). Meet Canada Team. https://www.womeninai.co/canada
Women in AI Canada. (2025b). WAI Canada Research Lab. https://www.womeninai.co/canada-research-lab
