As I continue my own journey into the world of Artificial Intelligence, I often find comfort and inspiration in stories of people who saw the world differently. Recently, during my first lecture at Bologna Business School, I came across the name Ada Lovelace. Learning about this woman immediately caught my attention.

Maybe it’s because I care deeply about supporting young women in STEM — students, early‑career professionals, or anyone trying to find their path. Maybe it’s because I’m reflecting more on the human side of technology. Or maybe it’s simply because Ada shows that imagination and logic can beautifully coexist.

A Young Woman Who Saw Possibilities Before the World Could

Ada Lovelace was the daughter of the English poet Lord Byron and Annabella Milbanke. She received a scientific education at a time when very few women had such opportunities. Her mother — herself talented in mathematics — ensured Ada learned logic, geometry, and analytical thinking from an early age. This foundation shaped her distinctive way of seeing the world.

At seventeen, Ada met mathematician and inventor Charles Babbage and became fascinated by his Analytical Engine — a mechanical machine that, although never completed, is now considered the first device deserving to be called a computer. While many saw it as nothing more than a complex calculator, Ada saw deeper potential. Because the machine could change its operation through punched‑card instructions, she imagined how such systems might model abstract ideas — a vision remarkably close to the principles behind computing we know today.

In 1843, while translating an article by the Italian mathematician Luigi Federico Menabrea, she added a detailed set of Notes that were three times longer than the original text. Within these Notes was what we now recognize as the first published computer program, created to compute Bernoulli numbers.

Ada wrote that machines “can do whatever we know how to order them to perform,” arguing that while they had enormous potential, they could not be truly intelligent. This perspective later became known as Lady Lovelace’s Objection, and it remains part of modern AI ethics discussions.

A Legacy That Still Opens Doors for Girls and Women Everywhere

Ada died at the age of 36 in 1852. In the early 1980s, her name was given to the programming language Ada and a blue plaque was erected in 1992 by English Heritage at her home St James’s Square, London, in commemoration of her being a ‘pioneer of computing’.

Although her achievements were not fully recognized during her life, her story has since become a symbol of resilience in the face of the biases that once limited women’s roles in science and technology. Sadly, many of these challenges still persist today.

Her legacy continues through many efforts:

• UNESCO honors Ada as a visionary who imagined the computer long before it existed, inspiring girls around the world to consider careers in science and technology.
• Every October, Ada Lovelace Day celebrates women in STEM and helps create much‑needed role models for new generations.
• Initiatives such as the Ada Lovelace Initiative work to expand access to STEM training and career opportunities for young women, especially those from underrepresented communities.

These contributions reflect what Ada herself represented: imagination, empowerment, and the belief that knowledge should open doors.

Walking Forward with Curiosity and Care

Discovering Ada now feels especially meaningful as I continue supporting young women in STEM. I’ve seen how much potential women carry — and how often we doubt ourselves. Ada’s life shows that even in restrictive environments, talent can grow when given encouragement, education, and care.

As someone who is thinking about creativity, responsibility, and the limits of technology, and questioning where AI is taking us and how it influences society, Ada’s story feels grounding. Her curiosity and her early understanding of what computing might become will stay with me.

If Ada teaches us anything, it’s that learning and growth need both opportunity and support.

For leaders and organizations, this means creating inclusive cultures where different ideas are valued. For each of us, it can start with listening, encouraging, sharing opportunities, and lifting others up.

The future Ada imagined is still unfolding — and we can help shape it with kindness, curiosity, and courage.

Further reading :

• Ada Lovelace Day – https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/ada-lovelace-day/
• Britannica Biography – https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ada-Lovelace
• English Heritage Blue Plaque – https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/ada-byron/
• World Economic Forum – Ada Lovelace Initiative https://initiatives.weforum.org/future-of-jobs-initiative/case-study-details/ada-lovelace-initiative/aJYTG0000000Pkn4AE
• Nature Computational Science – https://www.nature.com/articles/s43588-023-00541-z
• NIST – https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/ada-lovelace-worlds-first-computer-programmer-who-predicted-artificial
• Nottingham City of Literature – https://nottinghamcityofliterature.com/blog/ada-lovelace-king-countess-genius/
• UNESCO Virtual Science Museum – https://www.unesco.org/en/virtual-science-museum/women-science/ada-lovelace

Published on Linkedin.