We often talk about the future of Artificial Intelligence as something that is happening to us. At the Women + AI Summit 2.0 on February 7, we are flipping the script.
We believe that AI Literacy is Power—and power belongs to those who can imagine it, define it, and shape it. But history tells us that if we don’t intentionally write women into the future, we are often written out.
As we prepare for our second annual gathering at Vanderbilt, we aren’t just looking for attendees. We are looking for authors.
We are asking a bold question: What does the future look like when women don’t just use the tools, but define the rules?
To answer this, we need more than white papers. We need stories.
Introducing: The “AI Literacy Futures” Story Challenge
We’re inviting our community to submit short fiction that explores the Woman in the Loop dimension of AI literacy. We want stories where women are not just bystanders to the algorithm, but the active Woman in the Loop—the ones ensuring these systems serve humanity, fairness, and truth.
With the generous support of the American Arbitration Association, which is underwriting the prizes for this challenge, we are seeking narratives that matter. Your stories will not just be read; they will be used as methodology. Selected stories can fuel our workshops, spark our debates, and help us build tangible tools for the future.
Two Ways to Write Our Future
We have opened two tracks to capture the full spectrum of creativity:
Track A: The Human Architect (Solo)
The Vibe: Pure human imagination.
The Rule: No generative AI used for drafting.
The Goal: Show us a future shaped by the female perspective. How does a woman’s lived experience—as a leader, caregiver, professional, creator—change how AI is built or used?
The Length: 500 (min) - 1,500 (max) words
Track B: The Radical Collaborator (Co-Created)
The Vibe: Human + Machine partnership.
The Rule: You must use AI tools to co-create your story.
The Twist: You must submit a “Creation Story” (Prompt Log) along with your fiction. We want to see how you led the dance. Show us how you kept the “woman in the loop” by guiding, correcting, and directing the AI.
The Length: 500 (min) - 1,500 (max) words (not including Prompt Log)
The Rewards
This isn’t just about visualizing our future; it’s about access and amplification. Two Grand Prize Winners (1 per track) will receive:
🎟️ Free Registration to the Women + AI Summit 2.0 ($200 value)
✈️ Travel Stipend of up to $1,200 towards your attendance at the Summit
This stipend is generously underwritten by the American Arbitration Association (AAA). As a woman-led organization dedicated to justice and fair resolution, the AAA is helping advance our commitment to ensure that economic barriers do not prevent diverse voices from shaping the future of AI.🎤 The Stage: A featured slot to perform an excerpt of your work live during the opening Plenary session
📚 Publication: Inclusion in our digital anthology, “AI Literacy Futures,” shared with Summit-goers and the public
All finalists will be published in the AI Literacy Futures anthology and invited to join the “Story Salon” reading at our post-summit reception.
What We Are Looking For (The “ACE” Lenses)
Writing our future isn’t about generic robot apocalypses. We seek nuance. We want Action, Community, and Empowerment (ACE) to show up through the lens of female agency:
Action: What are women building? Stories focus on ingenuity, and are about creating solutions, fixing broken systems, and the work of making AI useful and safe.
Community: Who are we including? Stories focus on belonging, and are about mentorship, cross-industry alliances, and ensuring no one is left behind in the AI transition.
Empowerment: How are women leading? Stories focus on authority, and are about confidence, ethical decision-making, and shifting the power dynamic between human and machine.
The Rubric
We are judging on Storytelling Craft (does the narrative voice and world-building successfully transport the reader?), Literacy Insight (does it demonstrate critical engagement with the tech?), and Centering Women (is the female perspective integral to the story?).
The Details
Submission Deadline: January 6, 2026 (11:59 PM CST)
Entry Fee: $0 (because literacy must be accessible)
Who Can Enter: US residents age 18 and over; Vanderbilt University employees are not eligible to enter.
Go here to read the full terms and conditions.
Why This Matters
Stories make the abstract concrete. By writing the future, you help us ensure that women are not just consumers of this technology, but central authors shaping the technology and how humans use it.
Whether you write with a pen or a prompt, your voice is the literacy lesson we need.
Ready to write women into the loop? Submit your story!
— The WAI Team
Regarding the articule, this is brilliant. As a booklover and AI enthusiast, I'm already thinkink of stories. Much needed.