Why Europe needs girls shaping AI – not just using it
02/01/26
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant or specialised technology.
It already shapes how young people communicate, learn and create – from social media feeds and recommendation systems to image filters, translation tools and generative AI applications.
Girls across Europe are active users of AI-powered technologies long before they encounter them in a classroom setting.
Yet widespread use does not equal understanding. Without basic AI literacy, young people risk engaging with systems they cannot question, interpret or influence.
For girls in particular, this gap can reinforce existing inequalities in who gets to shape digital technologies – and who remains on the margins.
The gender gap in AI starts early
Women remain significantly underrepresented in advanced digital and AI-related fields. According to Eurostat, women account for just under 20% of ICT specialists in the EU, a figure that has changed only marginally in recent years.
This imbalance matters for AI systems that increasingly affect access to information, services and opportunities.
Research and policy discussions at EU level have repeatedly highlighted the risk that technologies developed without diverse perspectives can reproduce bias and exclusion.
The European Union’s approach to trustworthy AI, reflected in the recently adopted EU AI Act, explicitly recognises fairness and non-discrimination as core principles.
If girls disengage from digital creation early, they are less likely to participate later in shaping how AI systems are designed, trained and governed.
Why early AI literacy matters
AI literacy does not mean turning every student into a machine-learning expert. At school level, it is about understanding core concepts: how data is used, how automated decisions are made, where bias can emerge and why human oversight matters.
UNESCO’s guidance on AI and education stresses that young people should be equipped not only to use AI tools, but also to critically assess their social and ethical implications.
Coding plays a crucial role here. It provides an accessible entry point to AI concepts by helping learners understand logic, patterns and problem-solving – the building blocks behind automated systems.
When introduced early and inclusively, coding helps girls see AI as something they can question and shape, not simply accept.
What accessible AI education for girls looks like
Effective AI education for girls is grounded in relevance and creativity. Activities that link AI concepts to real-life contexts make abstract ideas tangible.
Collaborative, low-pressure environments also matter. When experimentation is encouraged and failure is treated as part of learning, confidence grows alongside competence.
The OECD’s work on Education 2030 highlights the importance of equipping learners with critical thinking and agency in increasingly digital societies, rather than focusing narrowly on technical skills alone.
The role of EU Code Week
EU Code Week offers a natural entry point for this approach. By promoting playful, inclusive and age-appropriate digital activities, it helps demystify coding and open conversations about how technologies like AI work and why they matter.
Ensuring that girls are part of this journey is not only about closing skills gaps. It is about preparing a generation that can engage critically with AI-driven systems and contribute diverse perspectives to Europe’s digital future.
If Europe wants AI that reflects its values, girls must be involved not only as users of intelligent technologies, but as informed participants in shaping them.
