The AI Coparent: Momfluencers Monetise Domestic Labour Gap
With women significantly less likely to adopt generative AI than men, influencers are selling prompts and courses to alleviate the 'mental load,' while critics argue the trend reinforces inequality rather than resolving it.
A growing cohort of 'momfluencers' is promoting generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to manage household and childcare labour, positioning the technology as a more reliable coparent than male partners. Influencers like Lilian Schmidt and Sarah Dooley are selling courses and custom AI prompts to help mothers delegate domestic tasks, citing the disproportionate 'mental load' borne by women. While proponents frame this as empowerment, critics argue the trend reinforces gendered expectations, noting that fathers rarely use similar technology for domestic management and that the tools do not address the underlying inequality in household responsibilities.
Lilian Schmidt, a brand consultant from Zurich, posted a viral TikTok video in June 2025 titled “I Turned ChatGPT into my coparent,” which led to her follower count swelling to 27,000 in three weeks. Schmidt created a custom GPT named 'Coparent' and began selling access to it for $37 on her website. Her content highlights the exhaustion of parenting labour, with Schmidt noting that AI advice helped her daughter sleep after traditional methods failed. She describes the technology as a way to be more present and emotionally regulated, rather than simply outsourcing care.
The trend reflects a broader disparity in technology adoption. A 2025 study indicates women are more than 20 percent less likely to use generative AI in their everyday lives than men, a discrepancy known as the “AI gender gap.” Stephanie Leblanc-Godfrey, founder of Mother AI, describes a “PMS” (pale, male, and stale) problem in generative AI development, arguing that tools are often built by people who do not reflect the society or needs of mothers. Erin Grau of Charter speculates that working mothers may use AI less due to “mom guilt,” viewing dependence on AI as a form of “cheating.”
Despite the gap, prominent figures are pushing AI as a feminist tool. Mel Robbins announced a partnership with Microsoft Copilot in November, while Reese Witherspoon went viral in April for an Instagram post praising AI’s ability to make everyday lives easier. Sarah Dooley, formerly a tech consultant for brands like Visa, quit her job to launch the AI-Empowered Mom brand and is writing a book titled *The AI-Empowered Family*, due for release next year. Dooley and Schmidt face criticism regarding environmental impacts and workforce displacement, yet they frame AI literacy as liberation from household drudgery.
Critics argue that the onus remains on women to manage domestic efficiency. Schmidt acknowledges that while 95 percent of her audience is female, she receives fewer emails from dads, who often do not recognise the concept of mental load. The author of the source article notes personal frustration with setting up AI prompts for household tasks, noting that while her husband uses Claude for professional efficiency, he does not use it for domestic management. This highlights a persistent inequality where technology alleviates the burden without addressing the root cause of its distribution.
