A 1970s feminist essay 'I Want a Wife' turns out to be a surprisingly good product roadmap for AI assistants
ericwdolan · x · 2026-10-23
A thread resurfaced Judy Brady's classic 1970s essay 'I Want a Wife' — a tired housewife cataloging everything she'd want a wife to do for her — arguing it is 'inadvertently one of the best product roadmaps' for personal AI assistants and home robotics.
The mapping is striking: childcare, scheduling, chores, remembering preferences — nearly every demand in the essay corresponds to what today's AI assistants and home robots are trying to solve. A ready-made spec for what a 'good assistant' should do.
Related event: 1972 Essay 'I Want a Wife' Resurfaces as AI Assistant Roadmap(3 posts)→
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