***Labour Party Senatorial Aspirant Pushes for Policy-Driven Opportunities for Women, Young People
Former First Lady of Ondo State and Labour Party senatorial aspirant in Imo State, Dr Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has called for deliberate efforts to ensure that Artificial serves as a tool for inclusion rather than deepening social inequalities.
She made the call while delivering a keynote address at the 1st International Interdisciplinary Biennial Conference on “Artificial Intelligence and the Human Future: Ethics, Communication, and the Voices of Women and Youth at the Margins,” held at Dominican University from May 6 to 7, 2026.
Speaking on the theme, “Inclusive Artificial Intelligence: Empowering Women and Youth in the Digital Future,” Dr Anyanwu-Akeredolu stressed that the future of AI must be intentionally designed to accommodate women, youths, and other marginalized groups.
The conference attracted the Vice Chancellor, professors, scholars, researchers, and students who gathered to examine the ethical, social, and developmental implications of emerging Artificial Intelligence technologies.
Drawing from personal experience, the former First Lady recounted how her upbringing inspired her passion for empowering young girls, leading to the establishment of the BEMORE Empowered Girls Foundation.
She shared the story of a young girl trained in solar technology through the foundation who later evolved into a confident innovator, describing the experience as proof that access to education and opportunity can transform lives.
“When girls are empowered with knowledge and skills, they do not merely participate in the future; they help shape it,” she said.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu noted that while Artificial Intelligence holds enormous transformative potential globally, it could also widen existing inequalities if inclusiveness is ignored.
She observed that women remain significantly underrepresented in STEM and AI-related fields despite Africa’s rapidly growing youth population, adding that investment in digital and technical education for girls and young people has become an urgent necessity.
Highlighting the impact of BEMORE, she cited several success stories of beneficiaries who have excelled in solar entrepreneurship, engineering, data analysis, and creative industries.
According to her, the experiences demonstrate that talent is universal, but opportunities remain unevenly distributed.
She therefore called for strategic interventions in five critical areas, including digital education reform, gender-inclusive STEM policies, expansion of digital infrastructure, establishment of community innovation hubs, and ethical governance of Artificial Intelligence.
Projecting into the future, Anyanwu-Akeredolu envisioned an Africa where women and youths would lead AI innovation, renewable energy would power communities, and African talents would drive global technological advancement by 2040.
She concluded by urging governments, institutions, and stakeholders to make conscious decisions that would ensure Artificial Intelligence remains human-centered and equitable.
“Artificial Intelligence may shape the future, but it is our collective choices today that will determine whether that future works for everyone,” she stated.
