she shapes ai global awards & conference wrap-up
In this episode, Alice and Dan recap their experience at the She Shapes AI conference and awards, held at the London School of Economics. From a provocative Oxford-style debate to an extraordinary awards ceremony celebrating women building ethical AI solutions across the globe, it was a day that challenged assumptions, inspired action, and made a compelling case for why women can't afford to sit this technological moment out.
the big debate
The day kicked off with an Oxford-style debate on the motion: "This house believes AI will lead to an unprecedented era of abundance and human flourishing." Alice took the con position — and the team won, shifting the room more than the opposing side. The standout argument came from a young panellist who asked a simple but devastating question: if AI was going to deliver abundance, why don't we have it already?
Frank Talk and No Bull
A fireside chat with Caroline Decock, author of AI Tools Not Gods, brought a refreshing dose of straight-talking to the day. Her take: we've been listening to tech marketing promises for years, and it's time to stop letting the people building AI be the only ones defining what it's for.
Domain Expertise is a Superpower
One of the biggest themes of the day was lived experience as a competitive advantage. Women who've navigated broken healthcare systems, experienced domestic abuse, or worked in underserved communities are now building AI solutions to fix the very problems they've lived through, and the tools to do it are available to all of us, right now.
The Awards
Ten categories, global finalists, and a room full of women solving real problems with AI — from detecting microplastics in water and fighting domestic abuse, to de-escalating political conflict and supporting nonprofits across Latin America. Many winners had been told they were mad to leave their corporate careers. Most wore that as a badge of honour.
The Takeaway
AI is levelling the playing field. For anyone historically locked out of VC funding, networks, or resources, the tools are now within reach. If you have deep knowledge of a problem, you have everything you need to start building a solution.
Find out more about the awards, finalists and the winners.
