The Gender-Energy Nexus in the AI Era: Challenges and Opportunities
Summary
The Gender-Energy Nexus in the AI Era: Challenges and Opportunities report was produced by Sustainable Energy for All’s (SEforALL) Gender and Youth team. It explores the intersection of gender, energy, and AI, highlighting challenges and opportunities for gender equality and sustainable development.
The intersection of gender, energy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents both challenges and opportunities for achieving gender equality and sustainable development.
AI can be a critical enabler in accomplishing 134 of the 169 targets under the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with over 600 AI-enabled use cases identified. However, the impact of AI at the intersection of SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG5 (Gender Equality) requires significant attention, as these objectives are deeply interconnected in their implications and outcomes.
While AI shows positive potential for supporting SDG7 by ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, SDG5 has the lowest number of AI-enabled use cases, with only 10 out of approximately 600 cases identified.
This imbalance is further highlighted by stark funding imbalances: between 2018 and 2023, total AI grant funding for SDG7 amounted to only USD 0.03 billion, while SDG5 received just USD 0.04 billion. Similarly, in private sector investment, USD 49 billion was directed towards AI applications for SDG7, compared to a negligible USD 0.62 billion for SDG5. This disparity is concerning considering that lack of energy access disproportionately affects women and girls.
UN Women has reported that if current trends continue, by 2030, an estimated 341 million women and girls will still lack electricity, with 85 percent of them in Sub-Saharan Africa.
A transformative yet complex landscape
The intersection of gender, energy, and artificial intelligence (AI) presents a transformative yet complex landscape in the global pursuit of sustainable development. The report underscores the importance of addressing these interrelated domains, highlighting both the challenges and the potential for meaningful progress.
AI emerges as a key enabler in addressing global challenges, with its capacity to process vast amounts of data, enhance decision-making, and optimise resource allocation.
Its application spans numerous areas within sustainable energy, from designing mini-grids for rural electrification to improving the efficiency of renewable energy grids. However, the unequal distribution of these benefits and persistent gender disparities create significant barriers to realising AI’s full potential.
Women, particularly those in low-income and developing regions, often lack access to the resources, education, and infrastructure needed to benefit from or contribute to these technologies. This disparity is not only a missed opportunity but also a challenge that risks entrenching existing inequalities.
The gender-energy nexus highlights a critical gap in energy access that disproportionately impacts women. Current trends suggest that by 2030, an estimated 341 million women and girls will still lack access to electricity, with the majority in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women’s limited access to modern energy services, such as electricity and clean cooking technologies, significantly affects their health, education, and economic opportunities. Additionally, the burden of energy poverty often falls on women, who are typically responsible for household energy management in many cultures.
The reliance on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking not only harms women’s health but also consumes their time, limiting their ability to pursue education, employment, or entrepreneurial ventures.
Exacerbating the challenges
At the same time, women’s underrepresentation in the energy and AI sectors exacerbates these challenges. In the energy sector, women account for only 32% of the renewable energy workforce and occupy just 11% of ministerial roles related to energy.
Similarly, in AI development, women are significantly underrepresented, particularly in technical and decision-making roles. Even when women manage to break into the field, companies founded by women receive, on average, six times less funding than those led by men, highlighting a stark funding disparity. This underrepresentation and lack of financial support lead results in the exclusion of women’s perspectives and needs in the design and implementation of technologies and policies. The lack of gender-sensitive approaches in AI further reinforces biases and limits the effectiveness of solutions aimed at promoting energy equity.
The digital gender divide compounds these issues. Globally, men are 21% more likely than women to use the internet, a gap that widens to 52% in the least developed countries. Women’s limited access to digital technologies and connectivity restricts their ability to engage with and benefit from AI applications.
This divide is particularly pronounced in regions with poor energy infrastructure, where unreliable or unavailable electricity further limits access to digital tools. The result is a cycle of exclusion, where women are unable to participate in the digital and energy transitions that are shaping the future.
Despite these challenges, AI offers unprecedented opportunities to address gender and energy inequities. Its ability to process complex data can help close the gender data gap, a critical barrier to developing effective policies and technologies. By integrating sex-disaggregated data into AI systems, policymakers and developers can create solutions that better address the specific needs and experiences of women. For example, AI-driven models can map energy access needs in underserved communities, forecast demand, and design cost-effective solutions that prioritise inclusivity.
AI in energy planning
In addition to closing data gaps, AI can play a transformative role in enhancing energy planning and management. Smart grids powered by AI enable more efficient use of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, by matching supply with demand in real time. These technologies not only improve energy efficiency but also reduce costs, making clean energy more accessible to communities that need it most.
AI can also be employed in optimising the design and deployment of off-grid solutions, such as mini-grids, which are essential for electrifying rural areas. By tailoring these systems to local needs, AI ensures energy access initiatives are both equitable and sustainable.
The integration of gender equity into AI and energy projects is crucial for maximising their impact. Diverse and inclusive teams are better equipped to identify and address biases in data and algorithms, ensuring that technologies serve all users equitably. Representation in these fields must go beyond tokenism to actively include women in decision-making roles and technical positions. Such inclusion not only enhances the quality of solutions but also ensures that women’s perspectives inform the development and implementation of policies and projects.
A moral imperative and an economic opportunity
Investing in gender-sensitive approaches to energy and AI is not just a moral imperative; it is also an economic opportunity. Research indicates that companies with gender-diverse leadership outperform their peers in terms of innovation and financial performance.
In the context of AI, diverse development teams are more likely to produce systems that are ethical, unbiased and responsive to the needs of diverse populations. Similarly, in the energy sector, involving women in leadership and technical roles leads to more effective and inclusive decision-making, ultimately accelerating the transition to sustainable energy.
The transition to a sustainable and inclusive energy future demands a concerted effort from governments, private sector actors and civil society. Public and private investments must prioritise projects that advance gender equity and sustainable energy access. This includes funding for education and training programmes that empower women to pursue careers in STEM and energy-related fields.
Additionally, policies must address the systemic barriers that limit women’s participation, such as discriminatory legislation, cultural biases, and unequal access to resources.
AI’s transformative potential extends beyond its technical capabilities; it lies in its ability to catalyse systemic change. By leveraging AI to address the gender-energy nexus, stakeholders can create a future where gender equality and sustainable energy access are not just aspirational goals but shared realities. This vision requires a shift in mindset—from viewing energy and AI as isolated domains to recognising their interdependence and their collective role in shaping a more inclusive world.
As the SEforALL report emphasises, achieving this vision will require resilience, collaboration, and a commitment to leaving no one behind. By aligning technological innovation with social equity, we can unlock the full potential of AI and energy to drive progress towards a more sustainable and equitable future.
To download the full report, please visit: https://www.seforall.org/publications/the-gender-energy-nexus-in-the-ai-era-challenges-and-opportunities
