The design choices behind AI chatbots – female voices, deferential responses, playful deflections – create a permissive environment for gendered aggression, says a professor. SYDNEY: In 2024, artificial intelligence (AI) voice assistants worldwide surpassed 8 billion, more than one per person on the planet. These assistants are helpful, polite – and almost always default to female. Their names also carry gendered connotations. For example, Apple’s Siri – a Scandinavian feminine name – means “