The Women+AI Summit at Vanderbilt Law School brought together industry professionals, academics, and students to explore the impact of artificial intelligence on gender equity.
Cat Moon, Founding Co-Director of VAILL and Professor of the Practice at Vanderbilt Law School, created the event with Charreau Bell, Ph.D., Director of the Data Science Minor and Senior Data Scientist at Vanderbilt University, to address concerns she identified in the rapidly expanding world of AI and, more generally, the technology sector.
“In late 2024, I was noticing a constant barrage of ‘data’ about how women are falling behind in the adoption of AI in the workplace and in education, along with data confirming that women continue to lag in leadership in AI and tech,” Moon explained. “I wanted to do more than simply call it out in social media, so with Charreau, we decided to create an opportunity for women across disciplines to come together and do something about it.”
Moon and Bell co-hosted the inaugural summit on February 1, along with VAILL Advisor Carolyn Elefant, Vanderbilt Law Lecturer Emily Pavuluri, and 1L Hannah Kupfer ’27.
Elefant, founder of My Shingle, delivered the keynote address, emphasizing AI’s transformative power for women. Experts from law, technology, and academia explored key issues, including AI bias, responsible development, and regulatory policies. Presentations showcased real-world AI applications and the importance of gender diversity in decision-making processes. Discussions also covered the ethical implications of AI-driven decisions, particularly in high-risk areas such as justice reform and employment.
“AI can help women manage their responsibilities more efficiently, allowing them to balance work and personal life more effectively. Yet, studies show that men tend to use AI more frequently than women, highlighting the need to bridge this gap and encourage more women to leverage AI for productivity and efficiency,” said Kupfer, the current president of the Tech Law Society at Vanderbilt.
The summit was designed around the acronym “ACE,” which stands for Action, Community, and Empowerment. All of the talks, workshops, and networking opportunities were designed to promote action, build community, and empower women to lead in the design and adoption of AI in their various industries.
Through “ACE Talks,” speakers shared personal insights on AI’s role in justice reform, career development, and ethical design. Aparna Komarla from Redo.io discussed how AI is being used to create human-centric solutions for high-risk justice reform initiatives. Hilary Bowman from Querious shared her journey transitioning from law to AI-driven contract automation, while Chandi Wolfe from Husch Blackwell highlighted the importance of humane design in AI systems. Sarah Burriss from Vanderbilt University presented on the ethical implications of AI search ranking and how it can reinforce harmful biases.
Breakout sessions covered practical AI applications, such as leveraging ChatGPT for efficiency, addressing the AI gender gap, and combating misinformation across disciplines. Another session explored AI’s role in legal and ethical decision-making, with Cat Casey from Reveal demonstrating how AI can serve as a force multiplier in legal work.
“The format was designed to showcase what participants wanted to share and explore,” Moon said.
Networking played a major role throughout the summit. Attendees participated in Neural Networking Experiences focused on sharing AI-related journeys and fostering meaningful connections. Lunch, hosted by Lawyerist, provided an opportunity for attendees to reflect on their AI learning paths and engage in discussions about their experiences. The themed buffet and networking activities were designed to encourage discussions about AI’s role in different career paths, making the experience more interactive and engaging.
“Networking is invaluable, and we saw how attendees benefited from using pre-printed stickers to easily exchange contact information,” said Kelly Warren ‘25, who helped organize the summit. “This format encouraged more engagement and collaboration among participants, making connections more seamless and meaningful.”
In the afternoon, additional ACE Talks delved into AI leadership, effective communication strategies, and justice applications. Katya Fisher from Aracor spoke about the intersection of AI and leadership, while Heidi K. Brown from New York Law School explored how AI-driven tools can improve workplace communication and mentorship. Kara Peterson from Descrybe.ai shared her experience using AI for justice advocacy, emphasizing its potential to bridge gaps in legal accessibility.
Further breakout sessions examined AI’s role in women’s health education, ethical assessments, and legal decision-making. Jacquelyn Neal from WebMD Ignite presented on how generative AI is being used to improve access to women’s health education. Another session focused on building ethical decision-making frameworks using AI, led by Jenn Bankston from DiCello Levitt LLP.
The event concluded with an interactive ACE Workshop, where participants transformed key takeaways into actionable plans. Attendees worked together to outline initiatives that would foster AI inclusivity and gender equity in their respective fields. This hands-on session reinforced the importance of collaboration and practical implementation of the ideas discussed throughout the day.
The positive response and high interest in the summit prompted Moon and her co-hosts to plan additional Women+AI events at Vanderbilt and beyond, including London in April, Paris in July, and a large co-hosted Summit in Sydney, Australia. Moon and team will also be hosting smaller events across the U.S. with Women+AI partners, an initiative dubbed “The WAI Forward.” Visit the Women+AI Summit website to learn more about upcoming events and stay connected.
