At the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum 2026 in Dalian, Ant Group Co., Ltd.'s Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Peng Yijie, delivered a speech at a forum titled "Are Women Missing the AI Opportunity?"
Addressing what women can do in the age of AI, Peng Yijie stated that there is, in fact, a great deal they can accomplish. She emphasized that transformative change cannot be achieved through a single step or action alone; it requires systemic thinking.
The Convergence of Three Forces
She proposed that success hinges on the convergence of three forces: "heart, body, and mind."
The Power of Heart: Vision and Belief
Firstly, Peng Yijie explained that "heart" represents vision and conviction. "Real change happens when our entire society genuinely believes that women possess inherent advantages in the AI era, rather than merely treating them as a minority presence at the table or a token of diversity," she noted.
She stressed that the core issue is whether women themselves believe in their own power. "We must believe in the strength of women," she asserted.
The Power of Mind: Awareness and Learning
Secondly, "mind" signifies awareness and learning. She argued for the need to lower the barriers for women to learn about and utilize AI. When women understand how to use AI effectively and intelligently, it becomes a second brain. Therefore, establishing systematic learning functions is crucial to help women better leverage AI tools.
The Power of Body: Taking Action
Thirdly, "body" represents taking tangible action. Peng Yijie used an analogy: "Can you learn to swim just by watching YouTube videos? No, you must jump into the water. We may have the desire in our hearts and the ideas in our minds, but we must also take physical action to truly build an AI-era environment conducive to women's development. Otherwise, nothing will materialize."
Practical Initiatives and Future Outlook
She shared that Ant Group Co., Ltd., alongside many partners including Chinese enterprises, runs numerous projects supporting women. Even in rural areas like those in Indonesia, there are initiatives helping female entrepreneurs learn how to succeed in the AI era. She expressed confidence that when these three forces unite, a brighter future will emerge.
"I believe the present is already good enough, but the future will be even better," she concluded.
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