Abstract

For decades, women have disproportionately managed household labor, including domestic tasks, child-rearing, elder care, etc. As women’s labor force participation has increased, and subsequently the number of dual-working families has grown, men have taken on a greater share of household labor and families increased reliance on support systems (e.g., childcare centers, paid home cleaners, etc.). While this has helped somewhat, the gender gap persists (even when women earn equal salaries as their male counterparts) largely due to the ‘stickiness’ of gender role expectations. Artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous vehicle technologies (AVs) are quickly emerging and having an impact on household labor tasks; this may have a positive impact on alleviating the gendered gap in household labor. We present an overview of existing research and introduce a framework for considering how these technologies might impact the gendered division of labor in the domestic sphere. In particular, we emphasize the promise of these technologies in reducing the mental load of managing household tasks. We also note that second-order effects, i.e., consequences for household members other than those directly using the technologies themselves, may play a role in alleviating the gender gap. We conclude by highlighting a few policy considerations and suggesting areas for future research.

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