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As we mark International Women’s Day, Professor Ekaterina Hertog spoke to us about AI, the increase of automation in the home and its impact on women and wider society. She considers whether AI and greater automation in the home have the potential to help alleviate some societal inequalities and lead to greater inclusion for women and under-represented groups in the workplace and wider society.

Can you tell us a little about your current research on AI, automation in the home and its significance for women as we celebrate IWD 2024?

Katya: My research lies at the intersection of digital sociology and family sociology.  I lead an ESRC-funded Domestic AI project at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, that explores the potential of new gadgets and apps to free up time now locked into unpaid housework and care work.  Together with my team, we also investigate how willing people are to introduce these technologies into their private lives.

Smart, digitally connected household robots are becoming more common. Examples include cooking robots, such as Thermomix popular in Germany and several other European countries, as well as robotic vacuum cleaners, window cleaners, and lawnmowers. These technologies can save people time currently locked into domestic labour and free them up to do other things. At the same time, these gadgets still need some level of human input, whether tidying up before setting the robot vacuum cleaner to work or getting all the ingredients ready for the cooking robot. 

Technology certainly has the potential to transform domestic work, but there are several barriers to full-scale adoption, both at an individual level and societal level. 

Looking at this issue from an individual perspective, in a research paper* my team and I published last year we find that male and female experts imagine the usefulness and marketability of domestic automation technologies quite differently, especially in a highly gender unequal society like Japan.  We found that female experts were more excited by the potential of the technology to take over domestic tasks, while male experts were more likely to point out that many domestic tasks would be quite expensive and therefore domestic automation will not be of interest to consumers.  Female experts agreed with male experts that automating domestic work is not cheap but were more likely to maintain that such automation will be of interest to consumers even at a high price.  A number of female experts we spoke to highlighted that they would be keen adopters of robots or other technologies that would help them with household chores. 

Do you think that technology can help bring about greater equality for women in society, thinking about your own research in particular?

Katya: Technology is often talked about as our saviour, but it has limitations. It can be a useful tool to combat social inequalities if adopted thoughtfully, but it can also easily amplify inequalities rather than reduce them. Many social problems that cannot be solved through technology, or at least not through technology alone.

Let’s take gender inequality in domestic labour as an example and consider the role technology might play in helping to alleviate some of those inequalities with some practical examples. First, as I’ve already touched on, technology is to a significant extent shaped by the imaginaries of those behind its development and the most potentially useful technologies may not get developed or reach the market for social rather than technical reasons. If the people behind the development of the robots or apps that could help in the homes have a particular view of domestic work, because maybe they are able to outsource much of it, that will influence which technologies are developed and make it to the market and which never see the light of day.

Second, technologies have the potential to transform tasks, but this transformation by itself may not be enough to bring about substantial social change. Let’s consider the case of a washing machine. Washing machines made the task of keeping laundry clean a lot easier and less time-consuming. They were powerless, however, to challenge the social roles which expected women to do the lion share of domestic work. Moreover, as the widespread adoption of washing machines led to an increase of hygiene standards, much of the time freed up by the washing machines was immediately taken by domestic tasks around laundry washing, such as folding and ironing, that became more time consuming with the increased frequency of washing clothes. Finally, if technologies that help with domestic work come with a significant price tag, they may reduce gender inequality, but only in richer households.

Technology lives within the broader ecosystem of family and society, influencing how individuals engage with technology and what risks and opportunities they are exposed to. With the examples above I highlight the fact that technologies can help solve prevailing social problems, including gender inequality, but for this to happen we need thoughtful and principled design effort as well as broader attention to social barriers to gender equality and consideration for policy solutions going beyond technology.

We also need to think about our values and how these may influence the solutions we opt for. For example, do we want a kitchen robot to save us time on cooking family meals or do we want our jobs to be more flexible so all family members can spend more time cooking and share the household chores equally? 

Your research could have a big impact for women, do you expect tech and AI to improve equality for women?

Katya:  We need to think about how these AI tools are designed and who makes the decisions about what kind of technology we’re going to invest in. Tech sector tends to be male-dominated, with women and other under-represented groups having limited input in the solutions that make it to market. 

We see decisions about AI technologies in the home being made by people who historically and on average, even today, do less domestic work and whose lives are less structured by the different types of domestic work as the burden still tends to fall more on women, despite some of the progress that’s been made with men contributing more in the home.

Technology is certainly a tool that we can use to improve our everyday lives, but these bigger structural issues need to be addressed before we see real long-lasting change. 

What can be done to inspire inclusion in the way AI technologies are developed?

Katya: A lot of people are sounding the alarm about the way AI is developing so quickly without sufficient checks and balances in place and often with limited input from the groups most affected by its adoption.  It’s been said that AI often simply reproduces existing inequalities rather than breaks the mould and I agree with that to a degree.

The transformative impact of AI depends to a large extent on the design decisions we’re making now and our ability to plan strategically for the outcomes we want to see which truly reflect a diverse society.     

Breaking down social barriers and reducing inequalities inherent in AI technologies won’t happen by itself. It's about several factors, design, regulation, active strategic planning and decision-making, and optimising the tech for multiple goals, whether profit, diversity, or well-being, although it’s usually all of these things to some extent. 

What do you hope will be different for women in the age of AI and what concerns you?

Katya: The technologies that get designed and funded are the ones that predominately feature on the mental maps of the people in power at the helm of these big tech companies, which disproportionately tend to be white men.  Looking ahead, I’d like to see greater diversity and inclusion at top, which is then reflected in the AI technologies that get launched to the market.  It’s not just about including women’s experiences, which is very important, it’s also about including the voices and experiences of other groups that are currently under-represented.

I’d also like to see more work done around measuring the consequences of implementation of AI technologies and their impact on women and under-represented groups.  All too often there is a rush to launch the latest innovative AI tool in a media fanfare and just put it out there, without the software developers building in any type of tracking facility to see what the consequences of the technology are and the effects it has on people’s lives. For example, facial recognition software used in education was better at authenticating white rather than non-white faces which racial inequalities to test taking, but that only got picked up once a large number of children were negatively affected. 

Often, any issues with the technology only get raised when it has been adopted at scale, and by then it is often costly and time consuming to make changes to design to address observed bias or minimise any other unintended consequences of implementation further down the line. Having a process which mandates at least some level of participatory design, a pilot stage, and regular post-implementation checks would be important to achieving a more inclusive future in the age of AI.

And finally, what advice would you give to other women in the tech industry this IWD?

Katya: I’ve learned a lot about how AI can exacerbate and generate inequalities, both from my research in the field of domestic AI and my own experience juggling my professional life with my personal life.  I’ve been fortunate in that before having a family, I was able to see some of the data around how much time is spent on domestic work once you have children, which prompted me to have a very explicit conversation with my partner about how we were going to navigate balancing our working lives with our family lives once we had children.

I would encourage other female researchers just starting in this male-dominated field to think very strategically about their values and what they want to achieve in their professional and personal lives. Think about the work-life balance and how you will achieve sharing domestic and paid work responsibilities equally within your relationship, especially after having children. 

Professor Ekaterina Hertog is Associate Professor in AI and Society at the Oxford Internet Institute and the Institute for Ethics In AI, in association with Wadham College.

Find out more about Professor Hertog’s current research project: Domestic AI

Download her latest peer-reviewed papers:

The future of unpaid work: Estimating the effects of automation on time spent on housework and care work in Japan and the UK published by the journal Technological Forecasting and Social Change

Authors: Ekaterina Hertog, Setsuya Fukuda, Rikiya Matsukura, Nobuko Nagase, Vili Lehdonvirta

‘The future(s) of unpaid work: How susceptible do experts from different backgrounds think the domestic sphere is to automation?’ published by the journal Plos One

Authors: Vili Lehdonvirta, Lulu P. Shi, Ekaterina Hertog, Nobuko Nagase,Yuji Ohta

‘It’s not her fault’: Trust through anthropomorphism among young adult Amazon Alexa users

Published by the journal Convergence

Authors: Elizabeth Fetterolf and Ekaterina Hertog

Oxford University's Museum of Natural History

It’s the start of a new term and as the doors to Oxford’s Museum of Natural History open, five first-year undergraduate biology students arrive for their weekly Biology tutorial.

Today they are meeting Professor Lindsay Turnbull, a tutor at The Queen’s College where the students all live and study. She is also Professor of Plant Ecology in the University’s Department of Biology and author of ‘Biology: The Whole Story’, published last year.

Founded in 1860 as the centre for scientific study at Oxford, the Museum holds the University’s internationally significant collections of geological and zoological specimens. It’s the perfect place to think about the animal kingdom – the purpose of this week’s tutorial – and the different phyla or groups that make it up.

On the Museum’s ground floor, in front of eye-catching displays of colourful butterflies, spiders and fungi, parades of mammals, and replicas of dinosaur skeletons, Professor Turnbull outlines the plan for the next hour. The group is given a quiz based around key areas of study for the term and the students split into two teams and head off to find the answers within the collections.

Professor Lindsay Turnbull with her tutorial group

“They allow tutors to interact regularly with students and to monitor their development closely and are different from other forms of university teaching because of their personal nature and the way that you can fine-tune your teaching to suit different groups. They encourage students to talk about their work and to share their ideas. Ideally, they also allow students to gain in confidence.”

The group exploring the Museum's collections

One of the many display cases at the Museum

In the Museum’s display cases the tutorial group explore a variety of specimens of varying sizes, shapes and colours, many discovered hundreds of years ago and some as close to home as the University Parks – millions of years ago the site of a tropical sea. 

 “Being able to see the animal models and fossils helps me to better visualise what we are discussing” says Eunice, “rather than trying to describe the organisms in words or through pictures on a slideshow”. 

This year, around 100,000 people in the UK will have a stroke. AI algorithms developed by a University of Oxford spinout company are ensuring that more stroke patients will receive better care and outcomes.

It’s no coincidence that the best-known acronym for spotting signs of a stroke urges FAST action. Every second counts, not least for the clinicians making crucial decisions about diagnosis and treatment.

Brainomix is a digital health company which spun out of the University’s preclinical stroke lab, part of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, in 2010. It was co-founded by Dr Michalis Papadakis, who now works full-time as the company's CEO.

In 2023 we were delighted to receive FDA approval to take our e-ASPECTS tool to the US, where more than 800,000 people suffer a stroke each year. This tool, part of the Brainomix 360 package of AI technologies, supports physicians who are making time-sensitive, critical decisions around transfer and treatment, strengthening networks and facilitating an improved stroke service.

Dr Michalis Papadakis, founder and CEO, Brainomix

The company has developed state-of-the-art AI algorithms to help doctors make quick, accurate decisions for patients. Its e-Stroke platform analyses images from simple CT scans, providing detailed real-time information – available to view remotely – on the extent and nature of damage to the brain.

The technology is effective: studies have shown that implementing e-Stroke reduces arrival-to-discharge times by more than one hour, as well as tripling the number of stroke patients going on to achieve functional independence.

The e-Stroke platform – the most comprehensive tool of its kind – has been adopted by more than 30 healthcare systems worldwide and has raised over £30m in public and private funding. A patient is scanned using e-Stroke every five minutes, with results available in just 60 seconds.

Brainomix has now developed similar AI-powered imaging platforms for lung disease and cancer. The company is regularly showcased by government as a leader in the health data revolution.

This year, around 100,000 people in the UK will have a stroke. That’s one every five minutes. Globally, the annual number of strokes is estimated to be upwards of 12 million, making it one of the world’s leading causes of death and disability. Brainomix is ensuring that an increasing number of those people will receive better care and better outcomes – a shining example of the potential for academic spinouts to translate innovative research into real-world impact that can benefit patients and healthcare providers.

Discover more about innovation at the University of Oxford

Last October, twenty-two young people from across the UK began their studies at Oxford, becoming the first students on the University’s innovative new access programme, the Astrophoria Foundation Year.

Here, some of this year’s students reflect on their first term at Oxford, what they think of the city, and what they’re looking forward to over the next term.

Yihao, from Manchester, is studying Chemistry at Exeter College.

Chemistry student Yihao during his first term as an Astrophoria student at Oxford

“During my busiest week, I usually have three lectures, three classes, three tutorials, and a three-hour lab. Lectures last an hour each, while classes and tutorials extend to 1.5 hours. Additionally, there are sporadic Preparation for Undergraduate Study events in the evenings which sometimes feature talks that students can attend.

“Stepping into my first formal dinner event at Somerville College during Orientation week marked a truly unique and exhilarating experience, especially as everything was completely unfamiliar to me. The grandeur of the occasion, from the elegant setting to the formalities observed, added to the sense of novelty and excitement. Moreover, collaboration with fellow students has been an incredibly fulfilling aspect of my academic journey. Exchanging ideas, collectively navigating the challenges of academia, and supporting one another has enriched the overall learning environment.”

Bassam, originally from Iraq, is studying Law at Keble College.

Bassam (on the right) is studying Law

“The first few weeks were spent getting to know the Astrophoria Foundation Year cohort and settling into Keble College. Fresher’s Fair was definitely a highlight as you get introduced to many clubs and societies. A lot of them hold taster sessions, which I recommend trying out. The majority of taster sessions will be at sports clubs like powerlifting and archery, and if you have the time, definitely try them out as you get to meet a lot of people from different colleges.

“The Astrophoria Foundation Year also attends a lot of Society & Culture events that familiarise you with Oxford such as Union debates and requiems. One event I attended this term was a Mozart Requiem at Merton College.”

Nayab, from Birmingham, is studying Chemistry at St Anne's College.

Nayab is studying at St Anne's College

“Typically, we have a practical lab session once a week (sometimes not if we have a lot of tutorial questions to be done). We also have lectures which are followed by classes and tutorials. This all adds up to around 3 lectures, 3 classes and 3 tutorials in a week.

“There is a lot of work to be done but we can always email our tutors with questions, and they are happy to provide us with advice and guidance. This helps with getting through the work quickly. Despite the significant workload I have found that there is always time to get involved in other activities that are happening in my college or the wider university outside of the Chemistry course.”

The Astrophoria Foundation Year provides a fully funded one-year course for UK state school students who have experienced disadvantage or disruption during their education to help bridge the gap between A-levels and the challenging undergraduate degrees at Oxford.

Students can study one of four foundation courses; Humanities (Classics, History, English and Theology); Chemistry, Engineering and Materials Science; Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE); or Law, as well as Preparation for Undergraduate Study modules, and receive free tuition and accommodation, as well as a non-repayable bursary to cover their living costs.

Find out more about the Astrophoria Foundation Year and how to apply before the 31 January deadline here.

Frankco Harris is a first-year DPhil Criminology student at St Antony’s. He is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnerships which offer training to talented graduates to equip them to become 21st-century leaders in social science research with social and economic impact. He is also a St Antony’s College Warden’s Scholar; and a Black Academic Futures Scholar – part of the University’s flagship graduate access scholarship programme that aims to address under-representation and help improve equality, diversity and inclusion in the graduate student body. Frankco’s doctoral thesis is on the socio-spatial dynamics of gang violence in Bermuda.

Tell us about your research and passion for your subject
‘My thesis will critically examine Bermuda’s distinctive setting by unravelling the complex interplay of geography, society, and violence. The research will explore the role of “islandness” in shaping and constraining gang dynamics, reflecting and contributing to the global understanding of criminology in isolated contexts.

‘Growing up in Bermuda, a small, tight-knit community, I was exposed to its nurturing aspects and complex social dynamics that can lead to criminogenic outcomes. This environment helped me understand the subtle but significant impact of social exclusion, violence, and economic disparities on both myself and those around me. My childhood was a journey through these multifaceted challenges, instilling in me a deep empathy for those caught in cycles of violence and poverty and sparking my interest in the broader social structures that drive these issues.’

Frankco Harris

‘With concerted effort, I overcame addiction and regained my academic focus. I returned to law school at the University of East London, starting from scratch and working multiple part-time jobs to support myself. This was incredibly challenging but my hard work paid off and I graduated top of my class, receiving the Dean’s Award for Academic Achievement. I went onto complete an MSc in Criminal Justice Policy at the London School of Economics and there I won the Titmuss Best Dissertation Prize for Criminal Justice Policy.

'As a first-generation university student, a gay individual and a person of colour, I have first-hand experience of multiple barriers that can obstruct a person’s education and professional aspirations. These personal experiences have further fuelled my determination to succeed and have instilled in me a deep belief in the transformative power of education.  ’ 

What attracted you to studying here?
'Firstly, Oxford's renowned reputation for academic excellence aligns with my aspirations for rigorous scholarly investigation. The University's commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge helps me thrive. Secondly, Oxford offers unparalleled access to many resources, including world-class libraries, leading experts, and a diverse academic community. These are essential for the depth and breadth of research I’m doing. Finally, the multidisciplinary environment at Oxford is invaluable. I can collaborate with experts and students in various fields and this enriches my understanding of the complex social issues I’m studying.

The solutions to the most pressing social challenges often lie at the intersection of different academic disciplines, and Oxford provides the ideal setting for such cross-pollination of ideas

Frankco Harris

What has your Oxford experience been like so far?
‘Oxford has had a profound impact on me since the moment I arrived. Interacting with fellow students and faculty members who are passionate about their fields of study is truly motivating. The intellectual energy and enthusiasm permeating campus are infectious. 

‘Equally inspiring is the sense of history that envelops Oxford. Walking through the historic colleges, libraries, and streets, I am reminded of the countless generations of scholars who have contributed to the world's body of knowledge from this very place. The change of scenery and pace of life, especially coming from the bustling city of London, has also been a welcome shift. The serene beauty of Oxford creates an environment that fosters reflection and contemplation. It's a place where I have found solace amid the academic rigour.’

Studying for a DPhil is intensive work. What do you do in your spare time to relax?
‘I wholeheartedly embrace the Italian concept of Dolce far Niente – the sweetness of doing nothing. I put my phone on silent and indulge in doing nothing at all. I find comfort in moments of quiet solitude.

‘I also like to stay physically active and use the St Antony’s gym. I find working out relaxing, I go for long runs and I practice meditation. And music remains one of my passions, a constant source of joy in my life and a means of escaping the demands of academia. All these activities contribute to a balanced life.’

You have ambitious plans for the future that involve returning to Bermuda. Can you tell us about this?
‘I am firmly committed to returning to Bermuda, my homeland, and serving my community as a civil servant. Having spent more than 18 years in the UK, I’m eager to return and contribute to the improvement of Bermuda’s criminal justice system and related social issues. I also hope to establish my own charities, focusing on rehabilitiation and education to address critical needs in the community. I want to support individuals seeking to desist from criminal behaviour and provide educational opportunities to under-served populations.

‘I plan to continue my research and writing, concentrating on the emergent field of island criminology, rehabilitation and desistance, social policy and criminal justice issues. I would love to teach Criminology at Bermuda College.’

What would you say to prospective Oxford students who also come from disadvantaged or complex backgrounds?
‘Being here at Oxford represents much more than a personal achievement: it serves as opportunity to be a visible example to others who have faced similar adversity and come from challenging backgrounds. My success demonstrates that despite facing formidable obstacles, one can succeed and excel in academia and beyond. My presence at Oxford is a testament to the idea that barriers can be overcome and dreams can be realised through determination and resilience.’

Read a longer interview with Frankco here