Patriarchy Coded into AI Bots: Obedient and Submissive

A significant portion of AI and language assistants continue to reproduce sexist stereotypes, reinforcing the societal image of women as subservient. Many AI assistants that present with female-identifying characteristics are programmed to be obedient and submissive.

This trend echoes themes explored in the 2013 film "Her," where Joaquin Phoenix's character develops a relationship with an AI avatar named Samantha, voiced by Scarlett Johansson. The article notes that Johansson later sued OpenAI after the company used a voice similar to hers for its AI chatbot Sky, highlighting concerns about voice cloning and AI ethics.

Eleven years after "Her," the vision of AI bots replacing genuine human interaction appears closer than ever. Despite increased awareness in Silicon Valley over the past decade, the service-oriented AI agent often retains a female persona, whether overtly or subtly, perpetuating traditional gender roles within technology.