Alexa, Make Me a Sandwich: The Function of Gender in the Burgeoning AI Industry (2016–2025)
Moriah Simonds · IntechOpen eBooks · 2026
This study examines the gendered dimensions of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly the deployment of feminized voices and personas in AI systems despite the underrepresentation of women in their development. From 2020 to 2022, when large language models (LLMs) were exploding onto the popular stage, there was a slew of articles published under some variation of the title “Alexa, make me a sandwich.” As if the feminine nature of AI’s communication style inherently imbued her with a sandwich-making ability, nay, responsibility. Why has the feminization of AI been an axial factor in the adoption of LLMs (like ChatGPT or Gemini)? How has this process affected the agency of women in a) the industry overall, and b) their application of innovative technology? What role can women play in defining the face of the modality wielding their voice? Drawing on interdisciplinary research, this chapter interrogates the sociotechnical implications of AI’s performance of gender, analyzing how LLMs exploit the “female voice” to build trust and fulfill user expectations. This chapter reveals a contradiction: while women constitute less than 30% of the AI workforce, femininity is algorithmically leveraged to enhance user engagement, reinforcing stereotypes. Findings highlight how training data, corporate priorities, and cultural accelerationism perpetuate these dynamics, with case studies demonstrating AI’s tendency to default to feminine communication in caregiving, therapy, and companionship roles. By situating AI within broader discourses of power, labor, and identity, this research contributes to critical debates on the equity of emerging technologies and their societal impact.