'Misogyny with a marketing budget': UK AI firm accused of sexist advert
18 hours ago
- #Workplace Discrimination
- #AI Ethics
- #Advertising Controversy
- A British AI company, Narwhal Labs, faces accusations of running a misogynistic and sexist ad campaign, prompting complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
- One ad depicts a woman with the tagline 'She outworks everyone. And she’ll never ask for a raise,' promoting AI as a 'never sick' employee that requires no HR, which critics argue reinforces sexist labor stereotypes.
- Critics, including Kate Bell of the Trades Union Congress and Rebecca Horne of Pregnant Then Screwed, condemn the ads as perpetuating toxic ideals of female availability and compliance, and highlight the need for pro-worker AI strategies.
- Another ad features a black man with a tagline referencing Lionel Richie lyrics, raising further concerns about racial and sexist stereotyping in the campaign.
- Narwhal Labs, which recently secured £20m in investment, defends the campaign as sparking necessary debate on AI's impact on jobs, emphasizing it's about 'humans versus machines' and calling for AI legislation, such as transparency and reskilling requirements.
- The ads, displayed at Bristol airport, were removed after complaints, with the airport citing content concerns, while the ASA assesses the complaints without a formal investigation yet.