50% Of Women Leave Tech By 35: Here's How AI Can Change That

Half of women exit tech by 35

Research with Accenture reveals that 50% of women leave technology by age 35, citing inhospitable workplaces, inadequate childcare, lack of female role models, and unequal promotion opportunities.

AI acceleration threatens worsening exodus

The rapid push for AI adoption risks exacerbating the revolving door as companies prioritize speed over inclusion, potentially alienating a generation of diverse talent entering the workforce.

Students express cautious skepticism

A UCLA study found young people have mixed feelings about AI, with nearly 30% holding negative views and voicing concerns about cognitive impacts, workforce displacement, and environmental consequences.

Ethics anchor the new curriculum

Girls Who Code is training 200,000 students in responsible AI use, prompt engineering, and cybersecurity while emphasizing that fundamental human skills like collaboration remain essential in the AI economy.

Corporate partnerships remain steady

Despite political attacks on DEI initiatives and reverse discrimination lawsuits, major corporate partners have not abandoned the organization, recognizing the continued business necessity of diverse talent pipelines.

Mission clarity counters political confusion

The organization clarifies that while founded to address girls' underrepresentation in computer science, it has always included male allies in clubs and college programs to avoid being exclusionary.

Ambitious 2030 scale target

Girls Who Code aims to reach 5 million girls, women, and non-binary people by 2030, building on its current reach of 860,000 students, more than half from historically underrepresented groups.

Pandemic-tested organizational agility

The organization successfully pivoted from 7-week in-person summer programs to 2-week virtual intensives during COVID-19, maintaining engagement levels and preparing for current AI-driven disruptions.