International Women’s AI & Digital Empowerment Week — Day 1
Awareness: Discovering the Possibilities of AI The first day of the International Women’s AI & Digital Empowerment Week, hosted by Clap Academy in strategic partnership with Center for Economic and Leadership Development UK, Wealth Wise Woman C.I.C and BVCOM LLC USA, opened with an incredible atmosphere of curiosity, inspiration, and global participation. Women joined the virtual event from across the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, North America, and Canada, demonstrating something powerful — the global hunger for knowledge about Artificial Intelligence and the future of work. The theme for Day 1 was Awareness — Discovering the Possibilities of AI. The goal was clear: break the fear around artificial intelligence and help women understand that AI is not a distant future — it is already shaping our world today. Opening the Event The event opened with a warm welcome and community-building moment where participants shared where they were joining from in the chat. Within minutes, the platform lit up with locations from London, Lagos, Malawi, Toronto, US, Canada and across Europe, highlighting the truly global nature of the event. Participants were reminded that this initiative was designed to help women discover how AI can accelerate their careers, enhance their productivity, and open new professional opportunities. Keynote: AI Is Not Coming — It’s Already Here The keynote address was delivered by Olatomiwa Williams (M.CIoD), a senior leader at Microsoft who is driving AI-powered growth across emerging markets. Her message was both powerful and reassuring. She emphasized that Artificial Intelligence is no longer optional for professionals in the modern economy. But she also dismantled one of the biggest myths that discourages women from entering the field: You do not need a computer science degree to benefit from AI. She explained that AI is already embedded in everyday professional environments — from healthcare and finance to marketing, education, and business operations.