(The following transcript has been revised and polished for clarity and conciseness without losing the essence of the conversation in this episode.)
VO: Welcome to Women Wisdom Worth, the podcast series from Uplevyl, where we learn from women around the world about what they’re doing to find success and joy in this digital age. For show notes and free bonus resources, visit Uplevyl.com/podcast. We’d love it if you subscribe, like, leave a nice review, and share the show with your friends and colleagues. And remember to check out Uplevyl. Uplevyl is the global leader of women-trained generative AI transforming society and business featuring women-centric data inputs, insight, and advice. You’ll find all the answers you need in a way that works for you as you navigate the complexities of modern life. Check it out on Uplevyl.com. Let’s get started with your host, Sara Bhonsale. Over to you, Sara.
Sara Bhonsale: I am excited to introduce today’s guest, Amy Daali, who is a trailblazer in the field of artificial intelligence and an advocate for women in tech. Amy is the founder and CEO of Lucea AI, a company developing cutting-edge AI solutions. She also recently founded Moonshot For Her to connect women in tech, build relationships, and harness the power of what women can do in the industry.
With a background in software engineering and data science, she spent over a decade leading innovative AI projects, driving advancements in machine learning, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with AI. In addition to her technical expertise, Amy is deeply committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in the AI space. She is a mentor, speaker, and champion for women in tech dedicated to closing the gender gap and inspiring the next generation of female leaders in AI. It is an honor to have you here with us today, Amy. Welcome.
Amy Daali: Thank you so much, Sarah. I appreciate the introduction, and it is always a privilege to be part of these conversations. Achieving gender equity has been a long mission of mine, and I am happy to share my experience and knowledge with you. Thank you.
Sara Bhonsale: You’re the kind of person we need to amplify and bring into this space. You’ve had an incredible journey in AI, from founding Lucea AI to leading innovative machine learning projects. Can you share what inspired you to pursue a career in AI, when that happened, and what your early experiences were like?
Amy Daali: Ever since I was young, I was curious about intelligence in general. I was fascinated by how the brain works and how humans could send a space shuttle into space. I gravitated toward moonshot ideas and problem-solving. I was that typical engineer child who loved taking things apart. When I entered high school, I was naturally drawn to STEM, mathematical thinking, and logical thinking. When I came to the U.S. at 17, engineering felt like a natural fit. For me, it was more exciting to create than to memorize. Artificial intelligence involves interdisciplinary fields — engineering, cognitive science, psychology — and that mashup created the super field we call artificial intelligence, which everyone can be part of. That was a major driver for me.
Sara Bhonsale: Creativity seems to be the common thread in conversations I’ve had with experts. Engineering is problem-solving and innovation. I’d love to hear more about your early field experiences after completing your PhD.
Amy Daali: My early experience began with a class during my master’s where we used algorithms to detect breast cancer. I was pregnant with my first child, and I became deeply connected to that mission. We built algorithms to detect genes related to cancer. I thought, if an algorithm can predict early-stage cancer, that is powerful. I wanted to use technology to improve humanity. When I began working on the Human Genome Project around 2010, biologists suddenly had terabytes of data they didn’t know how to manage. Meanwhile, we were looking for data for AI algorithms, so it became an incredible collaboration.
Later, when I was a postdoctoral fellow, I worked with patients with glioblastoma. We were developing algorithms to detect brain tumors. Seeing the real-world impact was fulfilling. But early on, I realized the gender imbalance. There were very few women, and each semester more left. For some reason, I stayed. I wish we had more role models. I was pursuing my career while raising a family, and I wish there were women who understood that experience. I had a few supportive male colleagues, but I didn’t have many women to talk to.
Sara Bhonsale: Were you aware of that at the time, or is it more clear looking back now?
Amy Daali: Looking back, I realize I suppressed my femininity a lot. Standing out was uncomfortable. I didn’t want attention. I avoided wearing skirts or heels because people assumed I was a secretary rather than an engineer. I toned down my voice, my clothing, and my presence to fit in. As I matured and became more confident, I embraced being myself. You shouldn’t dim your light. You need to stand out to change things. Now, I lead with who I am.
Sara Bhonsale: How are Lucea AI and Moonshot For Her shifting that for women entering the field now?
Amy Daali: With Moonshot For Her, I wanted to provide opportunities I never had. Many women say they don’t know where to go, how to get promoted, or how to find mentors. I’m rebranding Moonshot For Her into a larger community called Moonshot Minds, because we need both genders in the conversation. We need allies. Sponsors matter. The right leader can open doors. I’mbuilding a community where women can access opportunities, get promoted, land board roles, write books, pitch ideas, or give TEDx talks. It includes access to resources and pathways.
Sara Bhonsale: How are you approaching equity intentionally through Lucea AI as a product?
Amy Daali: One of my missions is democratizing AI. I offer intuitive AI training for everyone and remove math and heavy theory. Everyone should understand the basics of AI and generative AI. I mentor many women who want to enter AI without technical backgrounds. We now have no-code tools, which means women can build prototypes and apps in minutes. That is huge. Only 2% of venture capital goes to female founders, and that number hasn’t changed in a decade. I hope these tools break barriers.
Sara Bhonsale: What advice would you give young women interested in AI?
Amy Daali: Use ChatGPT every day. Play. Explore. Experiment. Reach out to mentors. Write about what you learn. Try tools tied to your interests — music, film, images, healthcare. Show up to events. Just listen. You never know what might spark something.
Sara Bhonsale: What excites you most about the future of AI?
Amy Daali: I’m fascinated by how we can augment human abilities and free ourselves from monotonous work. I hope AI helps us cure diseases like cancer. I hope we build services that reflect the female lens. I look forward to robots doing laundry and freeing time for creativity. I’m optimistic.
Sara Bhonsale: How can people contact you and follow your work?
Amy Daali: I’m accessible on LinkedIn and by email at amy@lucea-ai.com. Moonshot Minds will launch soon at moonshotminds.com, with Moonshot For Her as a sub-community. I look forward to connecting.
VO: Thanks for joining us on Women Wisdom Worth, the podcast series from Uplevyl, where we learn from women around the world about what they’re doing to find success and joy in this digital age. For show notes and resources, visit Uplevyl.com/podcast. Share the show with friends and colleagues and remember to check out Uplevyl. Uplevyl is the global leader of women-trained generative AI featuring women-centric data inputs, insight, and advice. Thanks and see you soon.