Future of Sex
tagline
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Replika Romance: Meet the Humans Forming Romantic Relationships With AI

  • The Future of Sex Is Mind-Reading AI That Reveals Your Deepest, Most Unconscious Fantasies

  • Sex Robots Are Getting Closer to Feeling Human-Like With Second Skin Materials

  • 2023: Innovating Sustainable Infrastructure for Sex Tech

  • Speaking Out: Red Umbrella Podcast Talks Sex Work

  • Sex Tech Predictions in 2023: Challenging Mainstream Supply and Demand

  • Coming to a Crescendo: MysteryVibe’s Crescendo 2 Vibrator Review

  • Sex Tech News: The VDOM places second at Black Ambition Prize, MYHIXEL surpasses crowdfunding target, and Lora DiCarlo shuts down

Future of Sex is supported by our readers. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Home > Robots > AI Wireheading: What Is the Danger of Reward-obsessed Sex Robots?

Robots
Home›Robots›AI Wireheading: What Is the Danger of Reward-obsessed Sex Robots?

AI Wireheading: What Is the Danger of Reward-obsessed Sex Robots?

By M. Christian
November 26, 2021
283
0

AI doesn't experience addiction as humans do, but it can exhibit crippling addiction-like behavior.

Integrated circuit in the shape of a human brain

Every artificial companion manufacturer is trying to make its chatbots and humandoid robots as realistic as possible.

Although sex robots tend to act, well, robotic, artificial intelligence (AI) engineers continue to make impressive strides in creating interactive, and self-learning robots that mimic how our minds work.

Some people view these developments as exciting.

Others wonder about one problem that flies under the radar: What if sex robots, like humans, start to become addicted to sex and love?

What is AI wireheading?

In a recent article for The Conversation, University of Oxford researchers Anders Sandberg and Thomas Moynihan, examined the phenomenon of “wireheading,” which is addiction-like behavior displayed by AI.

As an example, they recalled a 2016 project that trained AI to play a racing video game that provides in-game rewards when racers pick up as they go around the track. But instead of completing the race, the AI players were more enticed by the rewards. They “found a way to skid in an unending circle, picking up an unlimited cycle of collectibles.”

The idea of an AI video game player spinning in never-ending circles may sound harmless. Funny even.

However, Sandberg and Moynihan explain the possible frightening result of this run-away programming by envisioning an AI super-junkie.

“Unlike the human addict,” they write, “it may not be the case that its state of bliss is coupled with an unproductive state of stupor or inebriation.”

In other words, an AI bot that is fixated on a reward will be able to work on obtaining that reward without the need to rest or rejuvenate.

Synthetic desire may prove dangerous

Image of a robot and girl in binary code background

In our pursuit to create sexbots with lifelike artificial intelligence, coders might decide to give them something akin to synthetic desire. This would give the bots a reward after, for example, successfully satisfying a human’s sexual needs.

This type of programming could strongly motivate sexbots to learn as much about human sexual and emotional desires as possible. AI could teach us more about ourselves than we could learn on our own, opening us up to exciting sexual discoveries.

However, we can’t ignore Sandberg and Moynihan’s warning that wireheading could put reward-motivated sexbots into an unproductive overdrive.

For a brief moment, imagine the worst-case scenario: armed with information about every aspect of our lives, an AI-driven sexbot could become effective sexual manipulators in order to satisfy their own desire for rewards.

Human-consciousness emulation is only one approach

The concept of human-consciousness emulation is only one possible approach to developing human-approximating artificial intelligence, and, as we’ve seen, is full of potentially disturbing problems if not handled correctly.

Another approach that could provide better results is to steer clear of our thought processes to provide an AI with an opportunity to develop all on its own.

Image sources: Mike MacKenzie, geralt

M. Christian

M.Christian (they/them) loves nothing better than exploring the intersections of sex and technology—and speculating on the future of both. A highly regarded erotica writer they have six novels,12 collections, 100+ short stories, and 25 anthologies as an editor to their name. Their non-fiction regularly appears in many sites, but they're most proud of being a regular contributor to Future of Sex.

Of their erotic fiction, Tristan Taormino said that “M.Christian is a literary stylist of the highest caliber: smart, funny, frightening, sexy—there's nothing [they] can't write about… and brilliantly.”

Reflecting their unique ability to sympathetically and convincingly write for a range of genders and sexual orientations, their stories have appeared in multiple editions of Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, The Mammoth Books of Erotica, and others. Their collection of gay erotic fiction, Dirty Words, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award.

While a majority of their stories have been collected into books like Dirty Words, their fondness for combining sex and science fiction is clearly evident in collections that include Rude Mechanicals, Technorotica, Better Than The Real Thing, Skin Effect Effect, Bachelor Machine, and Hard Drive: The Best Sci-Fi Erotica of M.Christian.

As a novelist, M.Christian’s versatility is on full display with Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Brushes, Painted Doll; and the somewhat controversial queer BDSM/horror/thrillers Finger's Breadth, and Me2.

M.Christian has worked on the industry’s production side as an Associate Publisher for Renaissance E Books and as a Publisher for Digital Parchment Services. The latter dedicated to celebrating the works of science-fiction legends such as William Rotsler, Jerome Bixby, Jody Scott, Arthur Byron Cover, Ernest Hogan, and James Van Hise.

Covering topics like BDSM safety, sexual education, senior sexuality concerns, queer and gender issues, plus reviewing a variety of sex tech products, M.Christian’s non-fiction has appeared on sites like Kinkly, Tickle.Life, Sexpert, Queer Majority, Sex for Every Body, and—of course—their ongoing work for Future of Sex.

If there’s anything M.Christian enjoys more than writing, it’s teaching. A featured presenter, sometimes with their friend Ralph Greco Jr, at national sex and BDSM events, they have lectured on kink play (with an emphasis on safety), polyamory, boosting sexual creativity, and erotica writing--for beginners or those wanting to go pro.

M.Christian is a cohost on two popular sex-education podcasts: Love’s Outer Limits with Dr. Amy Marsh and Licking Non-Vanilla with Ralph Greco, Jr.

M.Christian's Books (Sizzler Editions)
M.Christian's Audiobooks
Previous Article

Lovense Gush Review: Hands-free Stroker an Interactive ...

Next Article

Cyber Week: Sex Toy Sales, VR Porn ...

Related articles More from author

  • Dating & RelationshipsRobots

    Looking for Love: Affection Detector Could Take Guesswork Out of Dating

    June 1, 2016
    By M. Christian
  • perceiving life in the lifeless
    Robots

    How Ancient Beliefs Explain Our Emotional Connections To Sextech

    December 10, 2020
    By M. Christian
  • The Fourth International Congress on Love and Sex with Robots will be held in December 2018 in the United States.
    Robots

    Despite Past Terror Threat and Ban, Sex Robot Conference Announces 2018 Event

    February 24, 2018
    By Jenna Owsianik, Editor-in-Chief of FutureofSex.net
  • A woman experiences pleasure while in bed.
    AugmentationRobots

    Can You Really Make a Woman Orgasm by Remote Control?

    March 14, 2014
    By Jenna Owsianik, Editor-in-Chief of FutureofSex.net
  • Robots

    Pole-dancing Robot Stripper Performs at Melbourne Sexpo

    December 7, 2016
    By Jasmine van den Hoek
  • Eva from the movie Ex Machina.
    Robots

    The 15 Sexiest Robots in Movie History

    October 14, 2015
    By Jon Pressick

  • Virtual Sex & EntertainmentVirtual Sex

    Predicting the Future of Sex Work in the Digital Age

  • A nitinol implant extends from a flaccid resting state when heated.
    Augmentation

    Can a Heat-activated Penile Prosthesis Solve Erectile Dysfunction?

  • light bulb
    Sex Tech

    IP Experts Foresee a Bright Future for Sextech Innovation

Virtual Lust is a 3D interactive sex game.
3DXChat
Discover the best virtual sex parties and 3D sex worlds.
  • TOP REVIEWS

  • Meet the Humans Forming Romantic Relationships With AI

    Replika Romance: Meet the Humans Forming Romantic Relationships With AI

  • The future of sex is mind-reading AI that reveals your deepest, most unconscious fantasies

    The Future of Sex Is Mind-Reading AI That Reveals Your Deepest, Most Unconscious Fantasies

  • Sex Robots Are Getting Closer to Feeling Human-Like With Second Skin Materials

    Sex Robots Are Getting Closer to Feeling Human-Like With Second Skin Materials

  • R/gonewildaudio's gender inclusive audio erotica

    /R/gonewildaudio: An Array of Free, Inclusive and Categorized Audio Erotica

  • Fantasy Inspired Sex Toy by Tentickle Toys

    Out of This World: How Fantasy-Inspired Sex Toys Could Be the Next Big Trend

  • Virtual Sex in the Metaverse

    Virtual Sex Will Soon Become a Reality in the Metaverse

  • OnlyBans Game Play As A Sex Worker

    Play as a Sex Worker in New Onlybans Game

  • Black chess pieces laying across an orange background.

    Teledildonics and Chess: The Unexpected Possibilities That Could Enhance Sex

  • A couple with a woman sitting on a man's lap. They each are holding the Tenuto 2 with one hand.

    Tenuto 2 Erection-Enhancing Vibrator Rises To The Occasion

  • Woman looking at a laptop in a bed. You can see a blurry European city outside of the window.

    Here’s How Often Each European Country Is Searching For Sex Toys Online

  • A Woman Showing Her Smartphone.

    Disclosing Trans-ness on Dating Apps

  • Image of Emma the AI bot.

    Will Young Women of the Future Feel Pressure to Perform Like Robots?

  • Realistic Sex Games

    Review of the Best Sex Games and Most Realistic Sex Simulators of 2021 [UPDATED]

    0
  • Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    Review of the Best Massively Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    0
  • Sex Games for Mac

    The Best Sex Games for Mac

    0
  • foot-fetish-sex-games-girlvania

    Foot Fetish Games That Will Knock Your Socks Off

    0
  • The Best RPG Sex Games of 2021

    0
Fantasy sex game Dream Sex World lets you explore your wildest desires.
Multiplayer sex world Red Light Center continues to impress with its massive userbase and incredible sex graphics.
A blonde and light-skinned love doll face sppears next to the text Go now realdollxthe future is real.
  • 27KFollowers

Like Us on Facebook

Newsletter Subscription

Sign up for our monthly newsletter sharing the very best of the future of sex from our publication and others across the web.

DreamSexWorld offers a stunning XXX 3D world filled with incredibly interactive erotic experiences.

Like Us On Facebook

Facebook Pagelike Widget

RLC_ad_v2

Tweets by @FutureofSex
Future of Sex Report

Follow us

  • Home
  • About
  • ADVERTISE
  • Contribute
  • Story Ideas
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2011 - 2022 Future Exploration Network
This website or its third-party tools use cookies to improve user experience and track affiliate sales. To learn more about why we need to use cookies, please refer to the Privacy Policy.

By clicking the agree button or continuing to browse through the website, you agree to the use of cookies. Accept Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT