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
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.