Celebrating Women Building the Future of AI

Every year on International Women’s Day, organizations around the world recognize the achievements of women across industries—and to reflect on the work still ahead.

Technology has reshaped nearly every part of modern life, from how we communicate to how businesses operate. But the people building those technologies still don’t fully represent the diversity of the world they serve. Increasing participation from women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) isn’t just about fairness—it’s about building better systems, better products, and a better future.

At Deepgram, the mission is to make conversations with machines more natural, more useful, and more accessible through voice AI. Achieving that vision requires a wide range of perspectives: engineers, designers, product leaders, operators, and business teams working together to push the boundaries of what’s possible with speech technology.

This International Women’s Day, several women across Deepgram shared their perspectives on working in AI, navigating STEM careers, and why representation in technology matters. Their stories highlight something important: there is no single path into tech, and the future of AI will be shaped by people with many different backgrounds, skills, and ways of thinking.

Artificial intelligence increasingly influences the way humans interact with technology. From voice assistants and automated customer support to transcription systems and accessibility tools, AI systems now play a direct role in communication.

When these systems are designed by teams with diverse experiences, they tend to be more inclusive, thoughtful, and effective. Diverse teams ask different questions, anticipate different edge cases, and approach problems from different angles.

For Ingrid Elise Dorai-Rekaa, Staff Product Designer at Deepgram, that connection between representation and the technologies we build is clear:

“Working in AI is exciting because we’re building technologies that will change how people create, communicate, and solve problems. Being a woman in this space is a reminder that the teams building that future should reflect the diversity of the people who will use it.”

Technology doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of the people creating AI inevitably shape how it behaves and whom it serves. That’s why expanding access to STEM education—and encouraging more women to pursue technical careers—is essential to the future of the industry.

While the number of women in STEM continues to grow, the technology sector has historically been male-dominated. That reality can sometimes make entering the field feel intimidating, especially for young women considering careers in engineering, AI, or data science.

But the landscape is changing. More women are leading teams, shipping products, building companies, and shaping the direction of emerging technologies.

For Caitlin Coscoluella, an Account Executive at Deepgram, working in AI has been both professionally exciting and personally meaningful:

“As a woman in AI sales at Deepgram, I’ve closed numerous deals with enterprises transforming how they interact with voice technology. The field of STEM and AI isn’t just about innovation, it’s also about persistence, breaking barriers, and proving that diverse perspectives drive impactful solutions. This International Women’s Day, I’m proud to be part of the next wave shaping human-to-machine conversations, and I encourage every woman to claim her space in tech. We belong here, and we’re just getting started.”

Her perspective highlights an important point: building AI isn’t limited to software engineers or data scientists. Sales leaders, product managers, designers, operations teams, and many others contribute to bringing transformative technologies to the world.

In other words, there are many ways to build a career in STEM.

Artificial intelligence can sometimes feel abstract or purely technical. But behind every machine learning model or software platform is a group of people working together—bringing curiosity, empathy, and creativity into the process.

Molly Neighbors, Executive Assistant at Deepgram, sees that human dimension every day:

"Working in AI means getting to build things that genuinely change how people experience the world. And the women I get to do that with make it even better. They bring care, compassion, and an incredible work ethic to everything they do, and that humanity in this work is something I'm really grateful for."

That sense of collaboration and shared purpose is often what draws people to technology in the first place. While AI development requires advanced technical expertise, it also benefits from human qualities like empathy, communication, and curiosity—traits that strengthen teams and improve outcomes.

When people from different backgrounds work together, they not only build stronger technology—they also create workplaces where innovation thrives.

One of the most persistent myths about careers in technology is that they follow a single, linear path: computer science degree → engineering job → technical specialization.

In reality, many people enter tech through unexpected routes. Some start in creative fields. Others come from operations, design, or entirely different industries before discovering a passion for technology.

Lauren Sypniewski, VP of Data Operations at Deepgram, describes her own journey as one that bridged creativity and analytics:

"I started in a creative field and always wondered if I'd ever get to lean into my fascination with STEM. The two worlds felt so far apart, and I assumed only very niche roles could bridge them. Working in tech proved me wrong, and AI took it further than I expected. The tools and products I work with every day push me to think more expansively, and there's a partnership between that creative energy and the analytical work that I never anticipated finding here. And being surrounded by other women navigating similar (but different) paths makes it that much better."

Her experience reflects something many professionals discover once they enter the tech world: creativity and technical thinking aren’t opposites. In fact, some of the most impactful innovations happen at the intersection of the two.

Designers shape user experiences. Product managers define problems worth solving. Data experts translate information into insights. Together, these roles form the backbone of modern technology companies.

As AI becomes more deeply embedded in everyday life, the importance of inclusive technology only grows. Voice interfaces, in particular, interact directly with people across cultures, languages, and contexts.

That makes representation in the teams building voice AI especially important.

Sharon Yeh, Staff Product Manager for Saga at Deepgram, emphasizes how inclusive teams drive better innovation:

“Being a woman in STEM and AI means more than just building technology; it's about cultivating environments where all voices are heard and valued. It's crucial to embrace diverse perspectives to truly innovate, especially in fields like ours where we're building technology that defines the future. I'm proud to be surrounded by inspiring female leaders at Deepgram who ensure the future of voice is inclusive and representative of every perspective.”

Inclusive teams don’t just create better workplaces—they create better products. When different perspectives are welcomed and valued, organizations are more likely to build technologies that work for everyone.

The world of AI does not merely revolve around hyperparameters and model weights; visual creativity remains crucial as well. After all, if a product doesn't look good or if a website seems shoddy, then the brand will suffer as a whole.

Patricia Mitter, Deepgram's Lead Brand Designer showcases the importance of creativity in the tech world first-hand:

“As a designer in the AI space, I see how technology amplifies creativity every day. Tools that once took hours now take seconds, giving me more time to focus on strategy and storytelling. Being a woman in STEM means not just using AI, but helping shape how the world experiences it.”

Creative teams help companies more easily market, sell, and demonstrate the work that engineers and researchers conduct. Advanced technology can look very dry and gray on the surface—billions of numbers, bit-flips, and calculations lack the pizzazz that catches the human eye.

Leaders like Patricia transform ordinary AI tools into artistic masterpieces that people will line up to test out.

For young women in high school or college who are curious about STEM but unsure where to start, the message from many women in tech is simple: explore it.

Take a programming class. Experiment with data science. Study design, mathematics, or engineering. Join a robotics club. Build something that interests you.

The path doesn’t have to be perfectly mapped out.

What matters is curiosity—and the willingness to try.

The AI industry is still young, and its future will be shaped by the people who choose to enter it today. The more perspectives that join the field, the stronger and more inclusive that future will become.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way humans interact with technology, and voice AI is opening new possibilities for communication between people and machines.

But technology is only as powerful as the people building it.

This International Women’s Day, the women at Deepgram remind us that the future of AI will be shaped by diverse perspectives, creative problem-solving, and a shared commitment to innovation.

Encouraging more women to pursue STEM careers—whether in engineering, design, product leadership, or operations—isn’t just about representation. It’s about unlocking the full potential of the technologies that will define the decades ahead.

And if the voices shaping today’s AI industry are any indication, that future is already well underway.