In the age of AI, many girls may already possess the interdisciplinary strengths future science demands - but these talents must be recognized and nurtured if they are to open doors to technological and scientific careersRuth Shoham/Davidson Institute of Science|The 2024 Excellence Report, published earlier this year, highlights a long-standing question: Why do fewer girls choose the advanced science subjects most closely associated with future high-tech careers? The report tracks participation in five-unit mathematics, physics, and computer science, as well as eligibility for Israel’s “high-tech matriculation” certificate – a course of study combining advanced mathematics and English with physics and/or computer science.According to the report, girls account for 32.4 percent of physics students, 37.8 percent of computer science students, and 38.6 percent of those eligible for the high-tech matriculation certificate. At first glance, these figures suggest that girls remain underrepresented in some of the key educational routes to careers in science and technology.(Photo: Shutterstock)But another figure in the same report tells a more complex story: girls make up 47.6 percent of students taking five-unit mathematics, the highest level offered in Israeli high schools. This makes it difficult to argue that the problem lies in a lack of ability, motivation, or willingness to take on challenging subjects. Girls are already present in excellence tracks. They are succeeding, working hard, and demonstrating their talent.Perhaps we are asking the wrong question. Instead of asking why girls do not choose science, we should ask how we define science, excellence, and success in the age of AI.The High-Tech Matriculation Index is currently the main tool used by Israel’s Ministry of Education and other organizations to assess young people’s prospects of entering the high-tech sector. It measures the proportion of students who qualify for a high-tech matriculation certificate by completing advanced-level matriculation exams in mathematics and in either physics or computer science. So far, the index has served its purpose well: it has helped the state direct its efforts where they can be most effective, broaden the pool of high-achieving students, and establish a clear national goal.But the world today’s high school students are preparing to enter is changing at an unprecedented pace. It is far from certain that the narrowly defined skills expected of students in the past will be the ones that serve them best in the future now taking shape. Artificial intelligence is transforming professions, organizations, and entire industries. In this new reality, success depends not only on deep expertise in a single field, but also on the ability to adapt to change, connect different areas of knowledge, identify previously unseen relationships, and approach complex problems from several perspectives at once.The events of recent years, above all the October 7 massacre, have shown that one-dimensional thinking can fail to capture the full reality — at a devastating cost. Too often, we fail to connect different sources of information, question our underlying assumptions, and see reality in all its complexity.These are the skills now widely regarded as essential for the 21st century: critical thinking, creativity, complex problem-solving, cognitive flexibility, lifelong learning, collaboration, and the ability to operate in a changing environment. They are also central to AI literacy. Understanding algorithms or knowing how to code is not enough. We must also be able to assess the quality of the data available to us, recognize bias, understand ethical implications, incorporate AI tools into research, make data-informed decisions, and work in teams that bring together people and intelligent systems.When I meet girls who come to the Davidson Institute of Science Education, I see these skills firsthand. I see a deep interest in genetics, medicine, neuroscience, environmental science, biotechnology, and applications of artificial intelligence. I see curiosity, creativity, and a desire to solve real-world problems. I do not see a generation turning away from science. I see a generation that intuitively understands that science in the 21st century is multidisciplinary.That is precisely why we integrate scientific research, interdisciplinary learning, and AI applications into our educational programs at the Davidson Institute. Studies show that girls are drawn to learning environments that combine science with meaningful work, creativity, and a contribution to society. When they see that artificial intelligence is about more than programming, they can more readily imagine themselves taking part in the field. It is no coincidence that girls make up more than half of the participants in Davidson Institute programs.This discussion also has national economic implications. Today, gender gaps in Israel’s high-tech industry remain significant. Women account for just over a quarter of employees in development roles; only 11 percent of startup CEOs in Israel are women; and women-led companies receive just 4.5 percent of investment in the sector. This represents a loss of valuable human capital at a time when Israel’s technological edge is one of its most important strategic assets.The difficult security reality Israel has faced since October 7, 2023, adds another dimension to the discussion. In the coming years, the country will need to increase personnel in combat roles while preserving – and even strengthening – its technological edge. This makes it all the more important to expand women’s participation in technological roles in the IDF, military intelligence, cybersecurity, research, and development. For many young women, military service provides a gateway to Israel’s innovation and high-tech sectors. Beyond the benefits to the women themselves, increasing the number of women who enter these fields is a strategic step that could expand the pool of human capital on which Israel will depend in the decades ahead.Alongside the question of how to bring more girls into existing pathways, therefore, we must also look for ways to broaden those pathways beyond physics and computer science. To do so, we need to rethink how we identify excellence. We should measure not only knowledge within a particular discipline, but also creativity, systems thinking, research ability, cognitive flexibility, and the capacity to solve complex problems.If girls make up nearly half of the students in the highest-level mathematics track, the question is not where the girls are. The question is whether, as we search for tomorrow’s innovation leaders, we are still relying on the criteria that identified the innovation leaders of yesterday. Perhaps those criteria are no longer suited to the needs of our time.In an era when artificial intelligence is changing the rules of the game, the education system’s greatest challenge may not be to introduce yet another program encouraging girls, or yet another measure of success. The challenge is to identify, in time, the full range of talents, abilities, and skills that will be needed in a world still taking shape.