Women Leading in the Age of Generative AI. Responsible Adoption, Critical Thinking & the Power of a Well-Crafted Prompt
Responsible Adoption, Critical Thinking & the Power of a Well-Crafted Prompt
In February, Mara Bolis, Founder of First Prompt, led our AwakenHub community through a focused deep dive into generative Artificial Intelligence. Together, we explored how AI tools are evolving, the risks and limitations leaders must understand, and practical ways to implement AI responsibly across organisations and workflows. Below, we share the key insights, strategies and takeaways from the session.
As AI continues to transform how we work, learn and lead, it is clear that women have a unique and essential role to play in shaping the future of generative technologies.
During our session, we explored how tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are evolving, and what it takes to use them effectively and ethically in real-world contexts.
🌍 The Future Is Here, But Not Evenly Distributed
There is a persistent gender gap in AI adoption. While many men engage enthusiastically with tools like ChatGPT, studies and lived experience suggest that women often approach generative AI with more caution. Concerns around privacy, ethics, bias and long-term impact are common and valid.
But that caution is not a weakness. It is a leadership strength.
Ethical awareness, risk sensitivity and long-term thinking are exactly what is needed to ensure AI develops in ways that are equitable, safe and genuinely useful. Women’s perspectives and leadership are essential at this moment of rapid technological change.
Rejection of AI today is about as practical as rejecting electricity. It is not going away. We must learn how to use it wisely.
🧠 Critical Thinking Is Still King, or Queen
AI can significantly boost productivity and creativity. But it is not infallible. It is trained to generate convincing responses, not necessarily accurate ones.
In our session, we examined several key risks:
Hallucinations: AI can fabricate information that sounds credible but is entirely false.
Bias: Outputs reflect dominant datasets, often reinforcing existing inequalities.
Privacy: Free tools may collect user data unless privacy settings are carefully managed.
De-skilling: Overreliance can weaken critical thinking and quality control.
Environmental and cybersecurity concerns: AI systems have energy demands and introduce new vulnerabilities.
The bottom line is clear. AI is a tool, not a replacement for human intelligence. Your expertise, judgement and empathy remain your greatest assets.
⚙️ What Generative AI Can Do
At their best, Large Language Models such as ChatGPT and Claude can:
Understand instructions and reason through tasks
Communicate naturally in multiple tones, formats and languages
Retain limited memory depending on the platform
They are increasingly being used as:
Thought partners, supporting brainstorming and problem-solving
Productivity tools, drafting and summarising content
Automation engines, streamlining repetitive workflows
Each tool, however, has its own strengths and limitations.
🛠 Tool Comparison: What Is Worth Using?
Here is how the main platforms compare at a high level:
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Great for creativity, general use and multimodal tasks.
Watch-out: prone to hallucinations and limited memory depending on settings.
Claude (Anthropic)
Strong for analysis, long documents and strategic thinking.
Watch-out: advanced capabilities often require premium access.
Gemini (Google)
Useful for translation, image generation and data integration.
Watch-out: can be rigid and harder to iterate with.
Microsoft Copilot
Integrated into Microsoft 365 environments.
Watch-out: less flexible and can drive informal “shadow use” if teams turn to external tools.
The key is not choosing one tool blindly, but understanding what each is best suited for.
💡 Tool Tips and Hidden Gems
We also explored complementary tools that enhance AI workflows:
Granola for structured note-taking
Perplexity for research and market scanning
Notebook LM for document-based analysis with reduced hallucination risk
Gamma for rapid slide creation
Zapier for automation
Notion for knowledge management
Used together strategically, these tools can significantly enhance productivity and collaboration.
🤖 Prompt Like a Pro: Think of AI as Your Intern
AI only knows what you tell it. The average user types two or three words into a prompt. That is equivalent to assigning an intern a task with no context.
A strong prompt includes:
Context: What is the background?
Task: What exactly should be done?
Format: Email, slide deck, strategy memo?
Perspective: Who is the audience or voice?
You can also assign a persona. Ask AI to respond as a sceptical investor, strategic consultant or trusted mentor. This approach is particularly powerful when working through business challenges.
Once you refine a strong prompt, save it as a template. This creates repeatable, high-quality outputs for reports, outreach and internal communications.
👩💼 The Breakout: Practising What We Preach
During the interactive portion of the session, participants:
Worked on a real professional challenge
Selected an AI “persona” for simulated feedback
Engaged in short AI-assisted conversations
Reflected in peer discussions
This hands-on practice built confidence and demonstrated that AI can be more than a shortcut. It can become a structured thought partner when used intentionally.
🔑 Main Takeaways
Women’s cautious approach to AI is a leadership asset
AI is powerful, but human oversight is essential
Understand each tool’s strengths and limitations
Use AI strategically, not passively
Craft strong prompts using context, task, format and perspective
Save effective prompts as reusable templates
Confidence comes through experimentation and reflection
💬 Final Thought
AI is not just about efficiency. It is about reimagining how we lead, think and solve problems.
The future of AI will not only be shaped by those who build it, but by those who question it, govern it and use it responsibly.
As women and leaders, we have the opportunity and responsibility to shape how AI is embedded in our organisations and communities.
Let us do it thoughtfully, strategically and on our own terms.
If this conversation sparked your curiosity, we would love to see you at our next community event.
Explore upcoming sessions on our Events Page:
https://www.awakenhub.com/events-2
AwakenClub members attend all events free each month and receive access to full replays, exclusive labs and deeper learning experiences. If you are ready to continue the journey, join AwakenClub here:
https://www.awakenhub.com/awakenclub-1
