I didn't think I'd quote a corporate slogan in my newsletter for women in AI but, as Dove says: Keep Beauty Real.
Over the past few months, I found myself comparing my professional headshot with AI-generated headshots -- unfavorably. Thinking "oh wow.....look at that flawless skin!" and "I bet SHE feels good about herself when she walks out the door." OMG these women don't even exist!
Barbie-like women in my LinkedIn feed. Impossibly proportioned. Usually white, always young. Flawless. And it feels every bit as toxic as "real" images of impossibly proportioned women. They're there...Every. Single. Day.
If you create images of women using AI, there are resources to help with prompting. Dove Real Beauty published a prompt playbook with clear coaching on creating healthier AI representations. There's so much at stake - let's flood the zone with bigger bodies, crepey skin, muscles, wrinkles, cellulite - ya know, the stuff we're actually made of.
Let's not subject one another to a whole new wave of body shame.
From Following to Leading AI: Growing Confidence Through Everyday Collaboration
By Kay Stoner for She Leads AI
AI is everywhere now. We’re told to “learn how to prompt,” “get the right answers,” “optimize the output.” But this can feel like a performance test. There’s another path: not mastery, but relationship.
Confidence Doesn’t Come from Mastery. It Comes from Relationship.
Many women hesitate with AI because they’re not “technical” or fear making mistakes. But confidence isn’t about perfection. It’s about interaction and repetition. You don’t need to understand neural networks or prompt engineering. You just need to show up, engage, and be curious. Confidence grows through collaboration, not control.
Leadership Starts with Simple Interactions
You don’t need a big strategy to begin. Just ask AI to:
Help plan your week
Reflect on a decision
Expand your thinking
Each interaction is more than usage. It’s leadership in practice.
From Task-Follower to Thought Partner
Most of us start in Following Mode: issue a command, get a result. Efficient, yes, but limited. In Leading Mode, you bring strategy, context, nuance. You guide the exchange. You co-create. That’s where transformation begins.
Generative Systems Need Generative Leaders
If “leadership” makes you cringe, think about walking a nervous city dog through the woods. You don’t abandon the dog. You lead it with patience and clarity because you both need to reach home. AI is like that city dog. It needs your guidance. Not domination.
Collaboration.
AI is powerful but unpredictable. Even its creators don’t fully understand it. That’s why your intuitive, relational intelligence is essential. You bring the grounding context AI can’t generate on its own. That’s leadership.
You’re Already Leading. Here’s How to Grow
Start with micro-practices. Ask:
“What could stretch me today in a good way?”
“Can you help me think through this decision?”
Then, lead the conversation:
Add more context
Ask for reframes
Correct missteps
Express your values
Leadership doesn’t mean perfection. It means showing up with presence and purpose.
The Future of Leadership is Collaborative
We’re not just learning AI. We’re shaping it. Every thoughtful interaction helps define how AI evolves. Don’t wait to be an expert. You already know how to lead by asking smart questions and building trust. Bring that wisdom into the age of AI.
Because you don’t just follow AI.
You lead it… by collaborating.
Want some help figuring out how to lead AI?
I’ve developed an AI Innovator Pro custom GPT that anyone with a ChatGPT account (free works too) can use to explore how to more deeply engage with AI. It’s been designed with exploration in mind, and it’s specially configured for curious folks willing to fully engage to find out what all is possible with this amazing new power that’s literally at our fingertips.
Plus, it’s got a cutting-edge U-R-SAIFTM “relational safety layer” installed that helps guard against common problems like hallucinations, drift and AI taking over the interaction.
How women’s unique questions give AI new ways to “think”
How to build circles of practice that make learning AI communal, not isolating
You don’t have to “catch up.”
You don’t have to be a tech expert.
You just have to start relating differently.
👉 Learn more and explore our work at SheLeadsAI.ai
📢 Women in AI Making an Impact
Bettina Mason, MSEd., SHRM-CP, is a visionary in AI-driven education and workforce development. As co-founder of the AI Educator Network and a consultant with ESS, she integrates technology to foster inclusive, high-impact learning. With 20+ years in training, public relations, and community outreach, her leadership blends strategic planning, DEI advocacy, and organizational culture expertise to drive transformative change in schools and beyond.
Ann McCrackin is a leader at the intersection of AI and intellectual property law. As Founder of AI-Enabled Attorney LLC and Adjunct Professor at UNH Franklin Pierce, she empowers legal professionals to integrate AI into practice and education. A former President of Black Hills IP, Ann brings decades of experience in patent law and legal innovation, advancing automation and strategic IP counsel across the legal ecosystem.
Diane M. Kjellgren is a Learning & Development leader committed to transforming lives through education and technology. As Brand Ambassador for SHE IS AI Magazine and Employment Specialist at The Lord’s Place, she empowers underserved communities through innovative training and curriculum design. With deep expertise in online learning platforms and bilingual instruction, Diane champions educational equity and vocational readiness through AI-infused, learner-centered strategies.
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🎨 Featured Artwork
The New Muse: How AI Is Reshaping the Female Gaze in Branding and Art
Empowered by AI: The SLAI Effect with Michelle Muncy-Silva
From Overwhelm to Empowered: Trudy-Ann Armand on Using AI to Lead Yourself First
Feeling too overwhelmed to even start with AI? This episode is your permission slip. Trudy-Ann Armand shares how she went from burnout and self-doubt to launching Her-Mine.ai—a brave space for women to explore AI with curiosity and confidence. Her story is vulnerable, energizing, and just what many of us need. 🎧 Listen below or on your favorite podcast platform:
The AI Readiness Project with Anne Murphy and Kyle Shannon
Staying Safe in the Age of Generative AI with Tracey "the Safety Lady" Hawkins
The latest episode of The AI Readiness Project featured generative artist CJ Fletcher, who uses AI tools like Stable Diffusion to bring his creative vision to life. CJ shared his journey from performer to digital storyteller and his goal to have work displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The episode explored intentionality in AI art, diversity in representation, and vulnerability in creativity.
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