# She Works, He Works: A Curious Exploration of Gender Bias in AI-Generated Imagery

DevFeed: [She Works, He Works: A Curious Exploration of Gender Bias in AI-Generated Imagery](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/she-works-he-works-a-curious-exploration-of-gender-bias-in-ai-generated-imagery-102903.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.18524>)

Author: Amalia Foka

Published: 2026-10-28T04:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [arXiv: Artificial Intelligence](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/arxiv-artificial-intelligence.md>)

Topics: [Generative AI](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/generative-ai.md>), [Image](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/image.md>), [generative art](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/generative-art.md>)

Tags: [ai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai.md>), [ai-development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai-development.md>), [ai-systems](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai-systems.md>), [analysis](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/analysis.md>), [art](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/art.md>), [artwork](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/artwork.md>), [bias](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/bias.md>), [cs-ai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cs-ai.md>), [cs-cv](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cs-cv.md>), [cs-cy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cs-cy.md>), [culture](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/culture.md>), [datasets](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/datasets.md>), [exploration](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/exploration.md>), [gender](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/gender.md>), [generative-ai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/generative-ai.md>), [text-to-image](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/text-to-image.md>), [theory](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/theory.md>), [women](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/women.md>), [workers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/workers.md>)

## AI overview

The project compares text-to-image depictions of male and female construction workers using prompts that mix gendered traits with unconventional contexts. It reports that women are more often represented through aesthetics and agility, while men are associated with authority and professionalism. Drawing on feminist visual theory, it treats AI imagery as both a reflection of cultural stereotypes and a means to critique them. The abstract calls for transparent practices, diverse datasets and reflexive engagement with AI's cultural impact; the supplied text does not specify which image-generation systems were tested or provide detailed methods or results.

## Source excerpt

arXiv:2407.18524v2 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: She Works, He Works is an interdisciplinary project that combines feminist visual theory, AI critique, and artistic practice to examine gender representation in AI-generated imagery. By juxtaposing text-to-image outputs of male and female construction workers, it reveals how societal biases manifest in generative AI systems. The study employs critically crafted prompts that blend traditionally gendered traits with unconventional contexts, exposing disparities in representation-emphasizing aesthetics and agility for women versus authority and professionalism for men. Grounded in Griselda Pollock's feminist insights on visual culture, the project positions AI as both a technological and cultural actor, capable of perpetuating stereotypes and enabling critique. As both a study and an artwork, the project underscores the transformative potential of AI to reimagine gender norms and inspire equitable narratives. It highlights the ethical implications of AI in creative industries, calling for transparent practices, diverse datasets, and reflexive engagement with AI's cultural impact. Through its integration of critical analysis and artistic exploration, She Works, He Works contributes to broader discussions on inclusive AI development and the role of art in fostering societal change. This dual approach showcases the power of AI as a medium for critique and a tool for envisioning more just and inclusive futures.