Power of AI Done Well: Leadership in AI and forging new paths
In our last post, we explored how personal values serve as a quiet but powerful force in shaping responsible AI. We saw how qualities like empathy, courage, and accountability influence not just what is built, but how it is built. But values alone aren't enough. They require action. And that’s where leadership steps in.
This fourth installation highlights how our She Shapes AI community members are leading with intention often in spaces where leadership doesn’t look or sound like them. While the AI and tech sectors are often dominated by profit-driven priorities and a narrow profile of leadership, our nominees are carving out a different path. One defined not by hierarchy or hype, but by clarity of purpose, collective good, and creativity grounded in service.
Redefining Leadership: Purpose over Prestige
When we asked our Top 33 what leadership in AI means to them, they didn’t speak of titles or status. Instead, they named creativity, optimism, belief, and critical thinking as core traits. They talked about listening to community needs, especially from those historically excluded, and using their platforms to raise awareness, build bridges, and spark change.
In a landscape often shaped by speed and scale, these women are choosing depth and direction. They’re not just adapting to a rapidly evolving field. They’re steering it, anchoring AI innovation in values that prioritise people and planet.
From Vision to Action: Women at the Helm
Across our community, we see female entrepreneurs, technologists, and researchers leading in ways that challenge the status quo not with disruption for disruption’s sake, but with careful intention and bold imagination. Their leadership is collaborative and inclusive, grounded in a deep understanding of the risks and responsibilities tied to AI.
They’re advancing AI for climate action and planetary health, expanding access to education through inclusive design, and preserving endangered languages. They’re shaping AI governance frameworks, challenging bias in justice systems, and working at the intersection of data rights, misinformation, and public trust. Whether championing digital equity or creating safer online spaces, these women lead with impact, not ego proving that values-led leadership doesn’t just imagine a better future, it builds it.
Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo – Championing Linguistic Inclusion through AI
As the founder of NightOwlGPT and recipient of the AI & Learning Award, Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo is dedicated to preserving endangered languages and enhancing digital inclusivity. Her platform offers real-time translation and culturally tailored learning resources, empowering marginalized communities in countries like the Philippines, Colombia, Ghana, and Pakistan to engage in education and commerce in their native languages. By focusing on linguistic diversity, Anna Mae ensures that AI technologies serve a broader spectrum of users, fostering a more inclusive digital landscape.
Alicia Combaz – Enhancing Democratic Participation with AI
Alicia Combaz, the founder and CEO of Make.org and winner of the AI & Democracy Award, leverages AI to strengthen democratic processes. Her platform facilitates large-scale citizen engagement across Europe, combining AI with social science to ensure that democratic participation is transparent, inclusive, and citizen-driven. Under her leadership, Make.org has become a pivotal tool in transforming societal engagement, demonstrating how AI can be harnessed to empower citizens and enhance governance.
These are the leaders redefining what’s possible. Not by playing louder in the same old game, but by rewriting the rules.
A New Kind of Power
At a time when headlines often focus on AI’s “godfathers,” unicorn founders, or billionaire-led tech labs, our nominees remind us that leadership can and should look different. It can be principled, people-centred, and quietly radical. It can look like mentorship, community engagement, cross-cultural dialogue, or taking a stand even when it’s inconvenient.
Elizabeth M. Adams – Leading with Ethics and Equity in AI Governance
Elizabeth M. Adams, honoured with the AI & Governance Award, is a trusted advisor and strategist working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, ethics, and public policy. As a Non-Resident Fellow at the Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford University and CEO of EMA Advisory Services, she guides local and national governments on how to embed equity and ethical considerations into AI governance frameworks.
Her leadership is marked by a deep commitment to racial justice, transparency, and civic inclusion ensuring that AI systems deployed in the public sector are not only effective but just. Whether helping cities develop responsible AI use policies or contributing to global discussions on digital civil rights, Elizabeth is a key voice in shaping how AI serves all members of society, especially those historically overlooked.
Her work exemplifies what it means to lead with integrity in a rapidly evolving field: bridging the gap between technical innovation and social accountability.
This isn’t leadership as usual. It’s leadership done well.
What’s Next
As our Top 33 blaze new trails in AI, they also keep their eyes on the horizon. In the next post, we’ll explore the emerging trends that excite them most, from advances in climate modelling and medical AI to breakthroughs in inclusive design and participatory tech.
Join us for Part 5: Emerging Trends to Feel Excited About, where we explore how responsible innovation is already reshaping the future and what’s coming next.
