How to “Make” a Woman
Addressing the gendering of artificial intelligence — and the issues of bias in the technology we create.
Have you ever wondered why Siri and Alexa were designed feminine? Are you worried about the impact that sex robots might have on society? As we are called to be critical of gender stereotypes and root out the gender bias that works its way into our technology, it’s worth questioning where that bias comes from and how it is coded in the first place.
Earlier this year, adult performer Harriet Sugarcookie published a survey in which she asked more than 500 men about their attitudes toward sex robots. In addition to questions about spending expectations and masturbation habits, Harriet wanted to know why men would be interested in having intercourse with a robot.
Her blog post, “Top 10 Reasons Men Want a Sex-Robot,” paints a picture of the typical target consumer for this not-too-distant-future market. Men were asked to choose from multiple reasons why they would use a sex robot; the list was derived from comments and reader feedback on social media. The options are revealing of men’s attitudes not just toward robots, but also toward women and women’s roles in relationships.
It’s not particularly surprising that 38 percent of these men have taboo fantasies that…
