*By Maria Luiza Reis
Brasilia once again became the epicenter of Brazilian innovation with the fourth edition of BB Digital Week (BBDW), held from October 28th to 30th, 2025. Promoted by Banco do Brasil, the event, which has already established itself as one of the country's leading events in the sector, brought together professionals, students, and entrepreneurs around the theme "Technology made in Brazil: the future is now!".
With a program packed with lectures, debates, and attractions like DJ Alok, BBDW fulfilled its mission of celebrating national talent and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit.
Within this large innovation ecosystem, one stage in particular has gained prominence for its relevance and purpose: Women in Data Science (WiDS) Brasília. Integrated into a global movement, WiDS's central objective is to promote female participation in data science and technology, creating a supportive community to inspire and educate women in the field.
It was in this inspiring environment that I had the honor of moderating the first panel on the WiDS stage, entitled "Women + AI," which featured two exceptional leaders: Marisa Reghini Ferreira Mattos, Vice President of Digital Business and Technology at Banco do Brasil, and Fabiana Schurhaus, Director of Technical Sales at IBM. Both lead gigantic teams and possess vast experience in artificial intelligence.
The consensus of the debate was clear: women are still a minority in IT fields, but AI could be the key to opening doors and accelerating gender equality in the sector.
A Journey Through the Evolution of AI and Human Thought
To begin the discussion, I provided context that, although AI algorithms have existed commercially since the 1990s, it was the launch of ChatGPT that democratized their use, boosted by three decades of accumulated information on the internet. However, I emphasized that the future of artificial intelligence will not be limited to current language models. Human thought is infinitely more complex, and more advanced algorithms will need to explore these nuances.
This reflection stems from a personal journey. Two years ago, I sought to complement my technological training in nuclear engineering and AI with an introductory course in social psychology at the University of Queensland, Australia. My goal was to better understand the mechanics of human thought in order to apply it to the development of new algorithms.
And that's where a crucial question arises: **considering that women have a distinct thought structure from men, could a new form of systematizing reasoning emerge from the minds of female AI researchers?**
AI as a Strategic Opportunity for Women in Technology
This issue brings us to the heart of the opportunity. This unique moment in technology, where AI is still shaping its future, represents a strategic window for female growth in algorithm development. Cognitive diversity is not buzzword; it is a necessity for creating more robust, ethical, and creative AI systems. Including female perspectives at the core of development can lead to entirely new approaches to complex problems.
The topic, as expected, was deeply provocative and engaged a packed auditorium of approximately 500 people. To my pleasant surprise, roughly 301% of the audience was male, proving that the cause of gender equality in tech is everyone's responsibility.
One of the audience questions brought up a familiar challenge for many professional women: perfectionism and imposter syndrome. How can these characteristics, which often cause women to hesitate in seeking opportunities, be transformed?
Here, we glimpse a promising scenario. With the support of AI assistants, female perfectionism can cease to be a barrier and become a competitive advantage. A professional can use AI to streamline idea prototyping and data analysis, but, with the rigor typical of someone who fears "talking nonsense," she will naturally be more inclined to critically verify the results and not passively accept the "hallucinations" of working language models (LLMs). AI offers speed, and female meticulousness ensures precision and reliability.
Conclusion: The Future is Now, and it is Plural.
The "Women + AI" panel at BB Digital Week was more than a debate; it was a testament to the transformative power of diversity. The "made in Brazil" technology we want to build will not only be national, but also inclusive. Artificial intelligence, this powerful and adaptable tool, should not replicate the biases of the present, but rather pave the way for a more balanced future.
The opportunity is there. It is now up to industry, educational institutions, and society as a whole to encourage and support more female minds to delve into the algorithms that will define tomorrow. The future of Brazilian technology, driven by events like BBDW and initiatives like WiDS, will be not only smarter, but also wiser and more diverse. And, as we saw in Brasília, this future has already begun.
To learn more about the Women in Data Science movement, visit: https://wids.tec.br/brasilia.html
*Maria Luiza Reis, DSc., advisor to the Brazilian Association of Software Companies (ABES)
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
Article originally published on the GUIA DO PC website: https://www.guiadopc.com.br/artigos/55865/bb-digital-week-o-futuro-da-tecnologia-e-made-in-brasil-e-mais-diverso.html
