Women's News: Gender stereotypes in OpenAI's new app

Hello and high five for making it to Friday. Hopefully, this lunchtime read will make the last few hours of the workday go by faster.

P.S. - The “Further Reading” section is packed with gems this week. Be sure not to miss it!

Here’s what’s on the rise:

Spotlight

• OpenAI revealed a new app that will function as a voice assistant, essentially transforming ChatGPT into an interactive voice that can talk you through a math equation, read your facial expressions, or tell you a bedtime story — all with an unmistakably feminine tone.

  • The new app joins the ranks of Alexa, Siri, and Microsoft Cortana in defaulting to a female-sounding voice, and OpenAI founder Sam Altman underscored the technology’s gendered identity by tweeting, “her” (seemingly a reference to the 2013 film by the same name).

• Experts worry the prevalence of female voice assistants will reinforce stereotypes of women as submissive caretakers or helpers. A USC Sociology professor explained that these technologies can act as a “powerful socialization tool that teaches us about the role of women, girls, and people who are gendered female to respond on demand.”

World

• The U.N. lowered its official count of women and children killed in Gaza due to incomplete information about the identities of victims. The overall death toll remained the same.

• In Thailand, a 28-year-old activist passed away while in detention. Netiporn Sanesangkhom, who advocated for reform of the country’s monarchy, had been hospitalized following a hunger strike she began in January.

U.S.

• The trouble at Miss USA continued this week as the first runner-up for Miss Teen USA refused to take over the crown, a decision she said reflected her morals.

  • Meanwhile, the mothers of the resigned Miss USA and Miss Teen USA winners described the roles as a “nightmare” where their daughters were “abused, bullied, and cornered.”

Business and Tech

• Social media debates erupted when a Times Square billboard advertising a breastfeeding product was taken down because it violated “guidelines on acceptable content.”

  • The billboard featured cookbook author Molly Baz with her nude pregnant belly bared and her breasts covered by lactation cookies, the product being advertised.

  • Many, including the breastfeeding company’s founders, were quick to point out the double standard—with underwear ads from brands like Victoria’s Secret or Skims appearing frequently in Times Square, it seems “a sexualized breast is acceptable, a nursing or lactating one is not.”

• Melinda French Gates is stepping down from her role as co-chair of the Gates Foundation, 24 years after founding it alongside ex-husband Bill. She’ll walk away with $12.5 billion for her own philanthropic efforts, which she plans to put toward doubling down on women’s rights initiatives. 

• New research found that women from top MBA programs are more likely to ask for higher pay than their male counterparts, dispelling the long-standing assumption that women make less because they don’t negotiate as much. 

  • The gender pay gap is real—the same study reported that women earned 22% less than men overall—but this data means we can no longer blame women’s negotiation skills. Instead, experts say we should focus on structural and cultural issues like unpaid labor and lack of childcare.  

• Dating app Bumble saw major backlash after an anti-celibacy marketing campaign that seemingly targeted women, featuring messages like “Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun.” 

  • The ads were meant to highlight dating fatigue, but many consumers felt they promoted male access to women’s bodies and de-legitimized women who choose celibacy. 

• Meme stocks GameStop and AMC had a short-lived moment in the sun this week thanks to the re-emergence of trader and YouTuber “Roaring Kitty.” Here’s why the founder of a women’s investment platform thinks meme stocks are “pretty bro-ey.” 

Politics

• Star witness Michael Cohen took the stand this week at Trump’s hush money trial, where his testimony indicated the cover-up was driven by concern about alienating women voters in the 2016 election.

  • In the wake of Stormy Daniels’ court appearance, women who have accused the former president of sexual harassment spoke about how watching the proceedings has resurfaced painful traumas.

• Angela Alsobrooks defeated a three-term incumbent to become Maryland’s Democratic nominee for Senate. She’ll face Republican Larry Hogan in the November elections. If she wins, Alsobrooks will become the first Black woman to represent the state in the Senate.

Sports

• Caitlin Clark played her first WNBA game and the league is already enjoying the benefits, with increased ticket sales, soaring viewership, and the possibility of better TV deals.

  • Meanwhile, the Golden State WNBA expansion team announced its name will be the Valkyries, referencing a "host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering -- flying through air and sea alike.”

  • Still, there weren’t any women in Forbes’ list of the world’s 50 highest-paid athletes — here’s why.

• A college graduation got a little too Handmaid’s Tale when Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s commencement speech implored women to reject “diabolical lies” about pursuing career success and focus instead on homemaking. The backlash was swift and strong, including a statement from the NFL. 

• The U.S. women’s water polo team got an unexpected (but enthusiastic) new supporter — rapper Flavor Flav is now the official hype man for the team, a role he seems to be taking seriously.

Culture

• The Cannes Film Festival began on Tuesday with women at its forefront. Meryl Streep won the honorary Palme d’Or award and Greta Gerwig became the U.S. American woman to preside over the jury. 

• Billie Eilish released her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft.

Further Reading