Cybersex, Virtual Reality (VR), Sex Robots, & Sex Dolls
Our sexual future with robots: A Foundation for Responsible Robotics consultation report.
Open Access: Yes.
Abstract
In 2017 most liberal societies accept or tolerate sex in many different forms and varieties. Sex toys and masturbation aids have been used for centuries and can be easily purchased in stores in many countries. Now companies are developing robots for sexual gratification. But a robot designed for sex may have different impacts when compared with other sex aids. Those currently being developed are essentially pornographic representations of the human body – mostly female. Such representations combined with human anthropomorphism may lead many to perceive robots as a new ontological category that exists in a fantasy between the living and the inanimate. This is reinforced by robot manufacturers with an eye to the future. They understand the market importance of adding intimacy, companionship, and conversation to sexual gratification.
The aim of this consultation report is to present an objective summary of the issues and various opinions about what could be our most intimate association with technological artefacts. We do not contemplate or speculate about far future robots with personhood – that could have all manner of imagined properties. We focus instead on significant issues that we may have to deal with in the foreseeable future over the next 5 to 10 years.
Relevance
“Would people have sex with a robot? The results from polls in four countries (US, UK, Germany and the Netherlands) indicated that there would be a market for sex robots for both men and women with the numbers significantly less for women.”
“Will robot sex workers and bordellos be acceptable? Evidence was presented from the use of sex doll hotels both in Asia and in Europe to suggest that there would be a market for robot bordellos… However, we found no evidence that the use of robots to replace sex workers would stop or reduce sex trafficking.”
“Could sexual intimacy with robots lead to greater social isolation? The majority of authors reviewed here agreed that social isolation could result from the use of sex robots.”
“Could robots help with sexual healing and therapy? It is possible that the use of sex robots in some therapies could potentially help some people with sexual healing such as problems with sexual functioning or social anxiety about having sex… The most controversial suggestion is for the use of sex robots for the elderly in care homes who still have sexual and intimacy needs. There are ethical concerns here about how this might impact on the dignity of those who may not understand what they are being offered and also about the deception of the vulnerable with severe dementia.”
“Would sex robots help to reduce sex crimes? This is a question that suffers major disagreement. On one side, there is a small number who believe that expressing disordered or criminal sexual desires with a sex robot would satiate them to the point where they would not have the desire to harm fellow humans. On the other side, there are scholars and therapists who believe that this would be an indulgence that could encourage and reinforce illicit sexual practices. This may work for a few but it is a very dangerous path to tread and research could be very difficult. It may be that allowing people to live out their darkest fantasies with sex robots could have a pernicious effect on society and societal norms and create more danger for the vulnerable.”
Citation
Sharkey, N., van Wynsberghe, A., Robbins, S., & Hancock, E.. (2017). Our sexual future with robots: A Foundation for Responsible Robotics consultation report. Foundation for Responsible Robotics. The Hague.
