IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/fis/journl/25s0127.html

From Maria to Siri: Cinematic Female Robots and the Reproduction of Gender in Artificial Intelligence

Author

Listed:
  • Süleyman DUYAR

Abstract

The study considers the depiction of artificial women in film history and the way that depiction relates to modern artificial intelligence from a feminist point of view. Research analyzes how artificial female depictions repeat gender stereotypes. However, the primary focus of the study is the analysis carried out through cinematic narratives and visual representations, and technological applications are considered as a supporting context to understand the cultural framework created by these filmic discourses. This repetition occurs in works ranging from Maria in the 1927 movie “Metropolis†to current voice-controlled digital helpers like Siri and Alexa. The concept of “digital authority†gives the study its structure. Through it, we can comprehend how technological authority becomes established plus kept from a gendered view. Qualitative content analysis is used in the research methodology. It looks at artificial female depictions in certain films and current artificial intelligence. This analysis is based on feminist film theory and technoscience points of view. General traits in cinematic artificial female figures are that they show traditional female roles, such as serving, obeying, as well as emotional support. These representation patterns moved to current technologies, so voice-controlled digital helpers often use female voices plus are equipped with feminine personality traits. The study places importance on the idea that technological advances commonly strengthen current gender norms and that more inclusive and fair methods must be adopted in the design of artificial intelligence systems. For the purpose of overcoming gender inequalities in technology production, this research highlights the importance of putting feminist perspectives into artificial intelligence design processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Süleyman DUYAR, 2025. "From Maria to Siri: Cinematic Female Robots and the Reproduction of Gender in Artificial Intelligence," Fiscaoeconomia, Tubitak Ulakbim JournalPark (Dergipark), issue s1.
  • Handle: RePEc:fis:journl:25s0127
    DOI: 10.25295/fsecon.1701017
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/4877765
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.25295/fsecon.1701017?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Judy Wajcman, 2010. "Feminist theories of technology," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 34(1), pages 143-152, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. James Cummings, 2020. "“Look How Many Gays There Are Here”: Digital Technologies and Non-Heterosexual Space in Haikou," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(4), pages 347-357.
    2. Rachel Brydolf-Horwitz, 2022. "Embodied and entangled: Slow violence and harm via digital technologies," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 40(2), pages 391-408, March.
    3. Anuradha Mathrani & Rahila Umer & Tarushikha Sarvesh & Janak Adhikari, 2023. "Rural–Urban, Gender, and Digital Divides during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Multi-Layered Study," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-18, May.
    4. Philip Faulkner & Clive Lawson & Jochen Runde, 2010. "Theorising technology," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 34(1), pages 1-16, January.
    5. Drydakis, Nick, 2025. "AI Business Applications Training and Business Outcomes: An Inclusive Intervention for Underrepresented Entrepreneurs," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1670, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    6. Monk-Turner, Elizabeth & Toussaint, Jeffrey & Wyatt, Amanda & Dempsey, Evelyn & Weddle, Jennifer & Reaves, Michelle, 2014. "The depiction of communication technology in film: Differences by gender and across time 1970–2010," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 151-155.
    7. Lori Leach & Steven Turner, 2015. "Computer Users Do Gender," SAGE Open, , vol. 5(4), pages 21582440156, October.
    8. Jeff Hearn & Matthew Hall & Ruth Lewis & Charlotta Niemistö, 2023. "The Spread of Digital Intimate Partner Violence: Ethical Challenges for Business, Workplaces, Employers and Management," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 187(4), pages 695-711, November.
    9. Preston, Christopher J. & Wickson, Fern, 2016. "Broadening the lens for the governance of emerging technologies: Care ethics and agricultural biotechnology," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 48-57.
    10. Alfonso Expósito & Amparo Sanchis-Llopis & Juan A. Sanchis-Llopis, 2023. "CEO gender and SMEs innovativeness: evidence for Spanish businesses," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 1017-1054, September.
    11. Janet Johansson & Ildikó Asztalos Morell & Eva Lindell, 2020. "Gendering the digitalized metal industry," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(6), pages 1321-1345, November.
    12. Vasarhelyi, Orsolya & Brooke, Siân, 2022. "Computing Gender," SocArXiv admcs, Center for Open Science.
    13. repec:osf:socarx:admcs_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Filippo Damiani & Paula Rodríguez-Modroño, 2024. "Measuring the digital inclusion of women: a poset-based approach to the women in digital scoreboard," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 705-722, February.
    15. B. Zorina Khan, 2024. "‘A new way by her invented’: Women inventors and technological innovation in Britain, 1800–1930," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 77(3), pages 928-952, August.
    16. Mahera Imam & N. Manimekalai, 2026. "Gender Dynamics and the Misuse of Personal Data: Understanding Vulnerabilities in the Digital Age," Journal of Development Policy and Practice, , vol. 11(1), pages 22-44, January.
    17. Kang, Hye Young, 2022. "Technological engagement of women entrepreneurs on online digital platforms: Evidence from the Apple iOS App Store," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    18. Tóth, Zsanett Bettina & Wang, Lili, 2026. "Digitalization and gender equality in the European Union: A comparative analysis of Eastern and Western member states," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    19. repec:ags:aaea21:338774 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Niamh Murtagh & Birgitta Gatersleben & David Uzzell, 2014. "20∶60∶20 - Differences in Energy Behaviour and Conservation between and within Households with Electricity Monitors," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(3), pages 1-12, March.
    21. Claudine Bonneau & Jeremy Aroles & Claire Estagnasié, 2022. "Romanticisation and monetisation of the digital nomad lifestyle: The role played by online narratives in shaping professional identity work," Post-Print hal-04450909, HAL.
    22. Clemens Striebing & Henriette Bertram & Jan Büssers & Carolin Clausnitzer & Regina Sipos, 2026. "From awareness to action: a three-phase model for gender-sensitive STEM teaching," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:fis:journl:25s0127. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Emre Atsan (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://dergipark.org.tr/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.