When we talk about the future of work, we often focus on paid jobs and automation. Yet one of the world’s largest economies remains invisible: unpaid domestic and care work, carried largely by women. This hidden labor shapes our time, health, and economic freedom. What if AI could ease this burden—not by replacing human connection, but by freeing people from relentless, unpaid tasks so they can reclaim time, energy, and opportunity?

If AI can drive cars and write screenplays, why can’t it iron a shirt? In this thought-provoking piece, Dr Samantha Pillay explores how the absence of everyday domestic tech,like an ironing robot,reveals deeper truths about gender inequality, unpaid labour, and the innovation gap in STEM. From the trillion-dollar burden of household chores to the cognitive toll of the “second shift,” she makes the case for why closing the tech gender gap could free time, improve mental health

Innovation solves real-world problems. Winning the Women in Innovation Social Impact Award highlights the power of AI Film to drive change.