AI won't replace adult toys but enhances intimacy with personalization and innovation. Discover how tech complements natural connections for pleasure.
In pursuit of enhancing sexual pleasure and
intimacy, providing personalized sexual experiences, and adding new dimensions
to long-distance relationships, we’ve seen a lot of developments in adult toys
in recent years. A quick visit to an online or local sex shop
will expose you to a modern selection of toys. Simple dildos and vibrators
appeal to those looking to satisfy their sexual self-care and desires in a
straightforward manner. Novelties with the most outrageous shapes and sizes are
meant to conjure orgasms without breaking the bank. Then, there are more
advanced pieces designed to replicate human touch or be controlled remotely
through apps. And just as we thought we’d seen it all, artificial intelligence (AI) is stepping in
to change sex and the pursuit of pleasure for millions of people worldwide. The question now is, will it completely
replace the adult toys industry, or are we getting ahead of ourselves? AI’s venture into more intimate territories
shouldn’t come as a surprise. We're in an age where more and more people are
retreating into the digital world for entertainment, social interaction, and
information. Engaging in sexual experiences is also not an exemption. That said, it was only a matter of time before
adult toy manufacturers tapped into new tech like AI to reach this fast-growing
market, and that time is now. AI has started to take its place in the sexual
wellness industry. Teledildonics or
cyberdildonics is a technology that enables sex toys to interact with each
other via the Internet, transmitting tactile sensations that mirror the
intimate actions of couples. It’s safe to say that it laid the groundwork for
AI-enhanced intimate devices. The earliest attempt at actually using AI to
upgrade self-pleasure devices was made back in 2014. HUM, touted as the first
artificially intelligent vibrator prototype, was meant to allow for hands-free
masturbation. Its vibration adjusts according to the user’s body movements. While the prototype didn’t make it to market,
it gained media hype, which demonstrated people's fantasy of having devices
that could adapt to their pleasure needs. Of course, when talking about AI-informed
adult toys, we can’t skip on Autoblow AI. Developed by Brian Sloan, the device
can be best described as a "blowjob machine that will render your hands
useless." It's trained to imitate human oral sex techniques, using
information from hours of oral sex videos. Virtual reality is also becoming an
increasingly common tool for enhancing sexual experiences. VRPorn, an adult
website, enables visitors to view its VR videos on Oculus Quest and Google
Cardboard. The most intriguing developments in AI use
within the sexual wellness space aren't just in adult sex toys, though. We're
also noticing the increasing application of emotional and conversational AI
designed for intimacy. For instance, the platform Kupid lets
users create and interact with AI companions. Based on their preferences, they
can make their ideal girlfriend or boyfriend and have sensual conversations
with them, receive voice messages, and even explore visual content to enhance
the experience further. Beyond using chatbots, these AI systems are
capable of:
personality adaptation based on
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language processing < !--[if !supportLists]-->●
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adjustments to responses < !--[if !supportLists]-->●
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user preferences The point here is that the use of AI isn't just limited to purely physical
solutions but is also being improved to tap into the emotional and
psychological aspects of intimacy. Although there's still a long way to go for
AI-informed sex products and services to go fully mainstream, it appears that
there is a growing curiosity and demand. According to LELO's 2023 Sex Census, which was participated
by 4,000 adults from the UK, about 1 in 10 Brits are using (1%) or are
interested in using (7.8%) AI bots like ChatGPT for sexual purposes. Some of
those who use the technology were asking for tips about sex or bedroom ideas,
while others engaged in online chats with bots to satisfy their sexual needs.
There are also those who rely on the technology to assist them in 'sexting'
another individual. Also, of the surveyed participants, 60% of
those who expressed interest in trying out some form of sexual activity with an
AI bot were men. As for those who already engaged in some form of sexual
conversation with an AI bot, the gender split was significant–56% were men,
41.5% were women, and 2.5% were non-binary people. These figures clearly indicate that AI is
gradually becoming a part of people's sexual experiences. This, in turn, calls
for more education and access to information on the technology as well as its
application on sex and pleasure. Not really. Rather than being a threat to the
existence of adult toys, AI is actually a supplementary tool that's making the
devices themselves and the sexual experience they provide better for people in
multiple ways. To start with, the technology's integration
helps in providing a more personalized
experience to consumers. Since AI has the capacity to learn individual
preferences over time, manufacturers of adult toys can use that information for
more targeted development. That means products with more effective and
satisfying designs that can be adjusted based on user preferences, patterns,
and changing needs. There's an enhanced safety and communication
aspect to this marriage of AI and traditional adult toys as well. AI-driven
guidance and safety protocols will most likely be available for the proper use
of the devices. Partners would also be more open to expressing their intimate
needs, especially in terms of comfort and satisfaction while doing the
deed. While we do agree that AI’s relationship with
adult toys is more symbiotic than competitive, we’re not saying that it doesn’t
come with challenges because it does. We can't overlook the issues regarding privacy
and data surveillance in intimate contexts, as well as consent and boundary
setting. There is also the potential for emotional dependency on AI systems,
which can affect human-to-human relationship capabilities. In fact, citing a study from the Journal of
Behavioral Addictions, a Forbes article noted that 32% of individuals
who regularly use AI companions have shown symptoms similar to behavioral
addiction. Meanwhile, 25% of the study's participants expressed reduced
interest in forming romantic relationships with other people. Another concern is the source of the data that
will be used to train AI so it can provide new forms of sexual stimulation and
experiences. As one article published in Vice pointed out,
there's a limit to the data that can be gleaned from the available porn
content, which some adult toy creators currently use to train their AI-powered
devices. While the visual information is there, there's still the question of
accuracy in terms of physiological response information. Addressing these obstacles must be on the
agenda of adult toy manufacturers to truly deliver tools that can enrich and
support our sexual experiences and natural capacity for intimate relationships. It's clear that AI technology won't replace
adult toys and instead improve their ability to help individuals achieve
enhanced sexual pleasure and intimacy. The important thing here is for adult
toy creators to find the right balance between technological innovation and
authentic human experience. The future of tech-driven intimacy should not be about
choosing between artificial and human connections. Rather, we need to
understand how technology can complement and enhance our natural capacity for
intimate relationships.A Look Into AI in Intimate
Technology
Beyond the Devices
Consumer Perspectives
Does AI Mean Bad News for Adult
Toys?
Conclusion