"AI is a tool that must be used to empower all of humanity." - Fei-Fei Li, AI pioneer
Burden of double shifts
Working women in India face a relentless second shift of unpaid labour. They spend over nine hours daily on combined tasks, leaving little time for personal development compared to men who have more leisure. Disparity peaks for women in their prime working years. While men have time for learning, women sacrifice sleep for household responsibilities. This time poverty hinders their career advancement and ability to adapt to new technology.
Invisible barriers
AI metrics risk penalizing caregivers with invisible constraints. These systems often assume a level of availability that women cannot provide. Technology may exacerbate inequalities by failing to recognize the value of care or domestic labour. Thus, AI has a dark side too!
Redesigning policies
Empowerment requires an outcome based approach to free women from drudgery. Policies must prioritize infrastructure like affordable childcare and clean energy to redirect time toward productive activities and professional growth. This shift is essential for progress.
Securing a future
Women need flexible upskilling to stay relevant in an automated world. Integrating time use data into budgets can help build digital skills and vocational capabilities. This investment is crucial for achieving a developed and equitable future.
Summary
Indian women face significant time poverty due to double shifts of paid and unpaid labor. This gap currently prevents them from upskilling for the AI era. Addressing this requires flexible learning and policies that value unpaid work and provide essential time saving infrastructure.Food for thought
How can technology be redesigned to value caregiving rather than penalizing it?AI concept to learn: Algorithmic bias
Algorithmic bias occurs when AI systems produce prejudiced results due to flawed data or societal assumptions. These biases often reflect existing inequalities and can unfairly impact women during hiring or performance evaluations. This makes inclusive technology design vital for everyone.
[The Billion Hopes Research Team shares the latest AI updates for learning and awareness. Various sources are used. All copyrights acknowledged. This is not a professional, financial, personal or medical advice. Please consult domain experts before making decisions. Feedback welcome!]
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