Devaluing Motherhood: A Misstep in the AI Age

Robert dos Santos might have sounded an alarm about our AI-dominated future, but his throwaway comment on motherhood reveals a more immediate, insidious issue. As he attempts to rally humanity against the coming tide of artificial intelligence, he drops a baffling line: 'Someone once said that if your mum can do it, it doesn’t have value.'

The Misstep

It's not just an offhand remark. It’s a window into how society often undervalues the work predominantly done by women, particularly mothers. Who said this, and why are we still entertaining such outdated notions? In an age where AI is poised to reshape industries and economies, it's absurd that we still need to underscore the importance of roles that have traditionally been seen as feminine.

Mothers in the Workforce

Consider the mothers among us who are doctors, artists, scientists, and lawyers. Their professional achievements stand as towering as their male counterparts. Yet, dos Santos’s comment perpetuates a stereotype that women's work, particularly in domestic spheres, somehow holds less value. It’s this kind of thinking that AI-driven automation risks exacerbating if we aren’t careful.

The Unseen Economy

let’s talk about the unpaid domestic labor mothers undertake. This is the unseen economic engine that keeps society from grinding to a halt. Why do we still marginalize this labor? The very economy dos Santos and others thrive in is built on it. If the AI can hold a wallet, who writes the risk model for unpaid work?

Why It Matters

As AI projects unfold, they'd better recognize the human labor underpinning our very existence. Slapping a model on a GPU rental isn’t a convergence thesis. It's time to appreciate the work of mothers and the foundational role they play in society. Dismissing their contributions isn’t just a social misstep, it's an economic one. The intersection is real. Ninety percent of the projects aren't. We should challenge AI with the humanity it often overlooks, starting with honoring those who do so much.