The idea that the work of mothers carries no real economic value has been doing damage since the 1800s. That same assumption surfaced again recently in a conversation about AI and the defence of human worth. It’s one of the most expensive misunderstandings in the history of economics.
The unpaid work performed by women is worth $10.8 trillion to the global economy every year, three times the value of the entire technology industry. The ILO places the total value of unpaid care and domestic work at $11 trillion, or roughly 9% of global GDP. And when that labour is disrupted even partially, the losses are immediate: childcare-related work disruptions cost the US economy up to 1.44 billion lost work hours in 2024 alone, with workers absorbing between $15 billion and $44 billion in lost wages. If women's labour force participation simply matched that of men, global GDP would be approximately 10% higher, in the US alone, $237 billion disappears annually because women reduce their working hours to absorb caregiving responsibilities.
The UK's Office for National Statistics valued unpaid labour at £1.7 trillion, yet it remains entirely absent from how we measure prosperity. If we are serious about protecting what makes us human in the age of AI, the place to start is the honest recognition that the economy has always run, quietly and without acknowledgement, on the labour of mothers. Not despite its value. Because of it.
Business leaders are fundamentally redesigning roles around AI, and women need to move with that shift, not wait it out. A KPMG survey found that 86% of business leaders are prioritizing talent with AI skills, while 57% are simultaneously reducing entry-level positions due to AI and automation--roles where women are disproportionately represented. The good news, as AI automates routine tasks, the operational and connective-tissue roles where women have historically excelled--COO, strategy, planning, are becoming the primary feeder for the CEO seat. The path up has shifted, and it's moving in a direction that plays to women's strengths.
Positioning for that shift requires intentional upskilling. Employers want candidates who use AI as a partner to think proactively, moving beyond basic tool use into "context engineering," understanding underlying processes, and driving broader business impact. McKinsey data shows women's representation in tech roles has actually fallen from 22% in 2023 to 19% in 2026, with many layoffs concentrated in roles disproportionately held by women, making it critical to move into AI-adjacent work before the window narrows further.
On the job search itself, how you present matters as much as what you know. Lead with results rather than tools on your resume, instead of "proficient in SQL," try "identified a 20% drop in checkout rates using SQL, leading to critical process improvements." Certifications from Google, Microsoft, and similar platforms signal fluency quickly and credibly. University of Washington's practical guide to getting hired in the AI era is a great starting point.
The women gaining the most ground right now aren't just using AI tools, they're helping shape how those tools are governed. Data from Chief and The Harris Poll shows 80% of senior-level women are already active players in building AI strategies at their workplaces, not just using the technology but shaping how it's managed. Volunteering for AI oversight committees, ethics reviews, or workflow redesign projects puts women in the rooms where decisions are made, and that visibility is what converts competence into career momentum.
How did June 9th’s astrology hit your chart?
Southern Baptists try to prohibit women from serving as pastors.
A new early-stage venture fund is set to launch in the coming weeks.
Roller derby is rad and even more inclusive than ever.
The squishy toy craze is real.
Did you hear? There’s a new sunscreen ingredient in town.
Spelman College has a new president, a former NASA rocket scientist.
Barf. Masculinity as fake populism.
The nomenclature “himbo” for He-Man has us gagging.
Love what you see? Forward to a friend! We'd be forever grateful. 🙏🏼
Wanna partner? Click here.
Other ways to support? Buy our fervent feminist writer a coffee.
