Most AI tools are trained on what’s considered “normal.” Everyone else is an afterthought (if they’re included at all).

Juan Faisal talks with Verena Weber, AI consultant and founder of Women in Tech, about how bias shows up in tools, teams, and leadership. From invisible labor to the myth of confidence, they unpack what keeps women and non-technical professionals out of the loop — and how to change it without waiting for permission.

🤖 Why it matters

Only 22 percent of global AI talent is female.

That’s not just underrepresentation. It’s a design flaw.

🤖 You’ll learn

- How male-first defaults shape tools and workplaces

- What confidence actually looks like in tech

- Why creatives don’t need to code to lead AI work

- How to track change beyond DEI performance

🤖 Guest: Verena Weber

AI consultant, former Amazon data scientist, founder of Women in Tech

- Website: https://www.verenaweber.de/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verena-weber-134178b9/

- Women in Tech Newsletter: https://verenas-newsletter-63558b.beehiiv.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viaviawe/

- UNESCO: https://www.interface-eu.org/publications/ai-gender-gap

- Interface Report: https://interface-eu.org/publications/ai-gender-gap

- McKinsey: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters

🤖 Host: Juan Faisal

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akajuanfaisal/

- Newsletter: https://juanfaisal.substack.com/

- Website: https://juanfaisal.com/

🤖 Timestamps

00:00 Verena Weber's background

01:09 Why tech and AI workplaces exclude women

02:34 The cost of gender-blind tech

04:19 The confidence code for women in AI

06:59 Embodiment work to build confidence

09:32 AI enablement for non-technical roles

11:17 Why AI outputs still need human oversight

12:20 Protecting sensitive data in AI tools

14:03 DEI as a driver of innovation

15:27 Flexibility, coaching, and inclusive workstyles

18:36 Where to follow Verena