Redesignng institutions so that AI works for humans | Karen Kornbluh | TEDxLosAltosWomen

Key Concepts

• Mommy Tax: The systemic disadvantages faced by working mothers (and all workers) due to inflexible job structures and benefit attachment to employment.
• Gender Lens in Policy: Analyzing and addressing policy issues with consideration for their impact on gender equality.
• Women’s Economic Empowerment: Policies and initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation and leadership in the economy.
• Generative AI & Assistive Technology: The application of artificial intelligence, specifically generative AI, to create tools that assist individuals with disabilities.
• Inflexible Job Structures: The historical and ongoing practice of tying benefits to traditional employment models, hindering work-life balance and accessibility.

From Policy Aide to Advocate: A Career Shaped by Personal & Systemic Challenges

The speaker recounts a career trajectory marked by both professional success and personal challenges, ultimately leading to a commitment to leveraging technology for broader societal benefit. Initially building a career in technology policy, starting as an aide on Capitol Hill and progressing to Deputy Chief of Staff at the Treasury Department, she experienced a significant turning point upon becoming a mother. Feeling torn between career demands and parental responsibilities, she made the difficult decision to resign, recognizing the systemic issues contributing to this dilemma.

The Historical Roots of Inflexible Work & the "Mommy Tax"

Following her departure from government service, the speaker engaged with experts and discovered that the current system of inflexible jobs and benefit attachment was not intentional, but rather a historical artifact. She explains that this system originated post-World War II, designed to incentivize men’s participation in the workforce and encourage women to remain in the home. This realization led her to articulate the concept of the “mommy tax” – the disadvantages faced by working mothers, which she argues extend to all workers, particularly those who are poor or single mothers. This concept gained traction, leading to opportunities to testify before Congress and gain public visibility.

Policy Influence & International Advocacy

Her advocacy work attracted the attention of then-Senator Barack Obama, who invited her to contribute to his policy agenda and subsequently appointed her as a US Ambassador to an international organization in Paris. In this role, she championed a “gender lens” across various policy areas, including education, jobs, and healthcare. A key achievement during her ambassadorship was the unanimous passage of an agreement on women’s economic empowerment. She highlights the crucial support of Icelandic Ambassador Thor, who advocated for increased female leadership based on Iceland’s experience with the 2008 financial crisis – attributing it, in part, to a “macho attitude” within the government and banking sectors.

Return to Technology Policy & the Impact of Generative AI

Returning to the US and continuing her work in technology policy, the speaker was later invited back into government as the Acting White House Chief Technology Officer with the rise of generative AI. However, a new personal crisis – her husband’s diagnosis with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) – profoundly underscored the potential of technology. ALS, described as a “lock-in disease” due to its impact on speech, has been mitigated for her husband through the use of an eye-gaze device and an AI-generated replica of his voice. She emphasizes the remarkable accuracy of this AI voice, noting its ability to replicate his unique tonation and pauses, even conveying emotion.

The Path Forward: Voice, Vision, and Realistic Optimism

Having left government service again, the speaker remains committed to ensuring technology benefits everyone. She identifies two key lessons learned throughout her career. First, the importance of courageously using one’s voice to advocate for progress, challenging the perception that history simply happens to us. Second, the necessity of presenting a positive vision, like the one offered by Ambassador Thor, that avoids zero-sum conflicts. She argues that pitting groups against each other – women against men, or technology against workers – is counterproductive.

She concludes with a call to action, stating, “If we combine these two lessons, brave enough to use our voices, inspired enough to present a positive vision, that together we can build a future that provides everyone more opportunities than they do today.” She acknowledges the need for continued research funding to address rare diseases like ALS and cautions against solely using AI to replace workers, advocating instead for its use to enhance living standards.