Empowerment or Inequality? A Feminist Political Economy Analysis of Women’s Work in the AI-Driven Gig Economy.

Abstract:

Purpose This paper analyzes how AI-driven gig platforms affect women’s economic empowerment. It uses a feminist political economy framework to move beyond a simple empowerment-versus-exploitation debate and examine the structural forces at play. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review and thematic synthesis of 48 peer-reviewed studies (2010–2024) were conducted to analyze the gendered dynamics of AI-mediated digital labor. Findings The synthesis reveals a central paradox: while AI-enabled platforms can expand income opportunities and flexibility, they also reproduce and risk amplifying gender inequality through algorithmic bias, wage gaps, structural precarity, and digital marginalization. Research limitations/implications The review highlights the need for future research to adopt a more intersectional approach, exploring how race, class, and geography interact with gender to shape platform work experiences. Practical implications The findings call for gender-responsive platform governance, including algorithmic transparency, inclusive system design, and the extension of core labor protections to gig workers to foster more equitable outcomes. Social implications Without intentional, gender-aware interventions in policy and design, the AI-driven gig economy is more likely to entrench existing social and economic inequalities than to alleviate them. Originality/value This paper provides a consolidated, theory-driven synthesis of the mechanisms through which AI-mediated platforms simultaneously create opportunities and reproduce disadvantage for women, offering actionable insights for researchers, policymakers, and platform designers.