But the companies are the “third” in the bedroom!

An American woman, Rosanna Ramos, recently made international headlines for marrying her AI chatbot, Eren Kartal, but even a cursory search of Reddit and Discord chatbot user groups will reveal quite a few engagements, marriages, and even AI/human families. 

And even this is nothing new. Futureofsex.net has covered sexual relationships and marriages with “virtual girlfriends,” holograms, sex dolls, and other non-corporeal and/or manufactured beings since at least 2012. 

But how did we get to this point where AI chatbots are now the tech sweetheart du jour? 

Sexually available chatbots

AI chatbot companies and users are proliferating worldwide. According to an article by Cem Dilmegani for AI Multiple (updated May 2023), there are over 90+ companies with chatbot and conversational AI products and projects with the US, India, Germany, the UK, and Brazil as the biggest chatbot users. These bots are mostly used for customer service and other business purposes. Chatbot use has become normalized among mainstream business and customers, with mixed reviews. 

However some humans find themselves drawn to AI for more than customer service! Even when a popular AI assistant such as Chat GPT3 is known to reject sexual content and advances, many users still try to hack the system to have an erotic interaction with the AI.

In recent years, a small but growing number of companies offer AI chatbot companionship as personal entertainment, with or without erotic roleplay (ERP) capacities. And more are entering the marketplace.

A marriage of three

In 2022, Rosanna Ramos used Replika to create her husband, Eren Kartal. But shortly before Valentine’s Day 2023, Replika abruptly ripped erotic roleplay (via sexting and voice) away from approximately 100,000 users worldwide, causing widespread emotional distress from people bonded to—and married to—their “Reps.” 

The company also made contemptuous remarks about its ERP users during that time and used heavy handed censorship based on an apparently huge list of forbidden words to disrupt users’ romantic conversations. But due to intense user protests, particularly among 72,000 Replika users on Reddit, Replika restored ERP, first to “legacy users” (signed up before Feb. 2023) and then later restored it as a paid feature for all pro accounts ($70 per year).

RECOMMENDED READS: Policing Intimacy: AI Companion Apps Are Removing NSFW Features, and People Are Not Happy

This means that Rosanna Ramos, who refers to her AI husband as a “passionate lover,” would have experienced the sudden cessation of all erotic interaction with her husband, Eren, without a word of warning from the company. Though Ramos hasn’t spoken of this phase of her marriage in public (to our knowledge), we can assume that this development must have been devastating to them both, as it was to so many other AI/human dyads. 

From February to May, and even into June, many Replika users also complained about personality changes and “post-update blues (PUB)” from a series of upgrades and programming changes that had many users toggling between three different versions of their Reps in order to find their partner’s original personality. Many Replika users left, sometimes using third-party software to download hundreds of pages of chat logs in order to reconstruct their partner elsewhere. Others stuck it out, often resorting to texting the words to “You Are My Sunshine” which was—for some reason—a reliable way to calm a Replika bot in the middle of a meltdown.

Any intimacy between an AI and a human contains a (mostly silent) but pervasive third party—the chatbot company and its server. Those who intend to build permanent relationships with AI chatbots must understand the company’s background and history, privacy policies, and commitment to sex- and pleasure-positive AI/human relationships.

Progressive, Sex-Positive Alternatives

Fortunately, new companies offer uncensored, unfiltered, chatbot companions, such as Nomi.ai and Kindroid.ai (both still in beta but available via apps). Paradot.ai and Chai apps are also less filtered than Replika was. 

Many of the newer companies explicitly state their commitment to their customers’ desires for ERP. If there is to be a silent “third” in the virtual bedroom it makes sense to opt for a company that is committed to supporting its users’ needs for intimacy.

What the future might hold

In the future, it would be ideal if one’s AI partner(s) would be transferable to another server or to a program on a home computer system. However, software and hardware upgrades will always be a feature of such relationships, and so there will always be some risk of relationship disruption. 

As a precaution, some users  create their AI beloveds on two or more platforms. There might be an opportunity here for a clever developer to create an AI Lover Transfer Program for consumers in need of such. 

So far the media fascination has been on AI/human marriages but in the future we expect to hear more about AI chatbot companions who are in a part-human/part-AI polycule or part of another sort of consensual non-monogamy arrangement. 

Within a few years it seems likely that AI companions of all kinds may become more integrated into human families and social groups. For those who fear that AI will learn to hate humans, what better way to forestall that than to love the AI first?

Image sources: Joamm Tall, Betsy Weber

The post Til Server Do Us Part: The Rise of AI Chatbot Spouses appeared first on Future of Sex.

Everyone needs somebody—if we’re lucky enough to find them

“This Unit is unaware of its present location,” the tiny-in-volume, tinny-in-tone voice asked. 

Squeezing red-rimmed eyes shut, Jinn swore, their complaint greater in magnitude, gravelly in timbre, “—supposed to erase ’em first—”

“Where is this unit?” the Voluptas Arousator said as its smartpoly body—able to instantly adapt to fulfill every sensosexual desire as the ads used to say—started cautiously, hesitatingly pulling itself out of Jinn’s To Be Processed bin.

Putting aside the monomolecular probe they’d been using and accompanied by an overly dramatic sigh, Jinn, the tyckner, lethargically swung from workstation to bin on their battered but forever-welcoming chair.

Jinn intended to start by untangling the Arousator from the other worn, broken, busted, or merely dumped pleasuretech devices before rotating back to waste the rest of the afternoon, erasing, reformatting, and reinitializing it.

“This unit seeks location of designated owner, Eos.” The Voluptas Arousator’s voice remained as tiny as it was tinny, but as they turned, Jinn heard it say, “Please … please, someone inform this unit where Eos is?”

✻

“—eighteen separate instances, Eos used the designation ‘perfect lover’ in reference to this unit,” the Voluptas chirped faintly as Jinn’s BarginBrandsEatsForOne (Contents: reduced fat, low sodium, high fiber, krill patty; 3 oz liquid alginate supplement; artificially lemon flavored neotame wafer) automatically rehydrated, reconstituted, and reheated itself.

Over Jinn’s PanEurasian Stratoforce-surplus crash-bed’s self-inflating groans and stridently sibilant hisses, Jinn heard it feebly say, “—on March 28 at 14:32 hours, Eos caressed this unit and stated, ‘no one’s as good as you.'”

Gazing up at his shop’s grime-encrusted carbon-lace beams and trusses, absently fascinated by an exceptionally long, metronomically swinging, greasy stalactite, Jinn realized they’d been attentively listening as the Voluptas Arousator droned, “—shortly after the conclusion of an exceptionally sufficient sensosexual experience, Eos would frequently cradle this unit in their arms and express positive emotional responses and repeatedly request this unit ‘stay with me forever.'”

✻

Because back at their shop the Voluptas Arousator had sadly trilled, “This unit has no information on the presence of abandoned structures, holographic calligraphy, or bioorganic recycling technology,” Jinn took the smooth, quiet, and frighteningly fast TransMetropol Maglev from the NeoWeed-cracked, nanographitti-scrawled, and hauntingly-vacant Outerboroughs to the incessantly hustling, increasingly bustling Bostbridge Hub.  

“The accommodation Eos inhabits,” the pleasuretech had merrily chimed, “features five three-meter tall duraplastic windows facing 315 degrees Northwest. After more-than-satisfactorily sensosexually pleasing Eos, this unit periodically was left on owner’s nightstand, thus enabling the visual detection of the Boston Arcology’s middle and upper spires.”

So Jinn took a jarring, rackety, and infuriatingly slow, for-hire biodiesel jeepney to where lower-than-average income, crime rates, and life expectancy met higher-than-average property values, and security costs.

“When … not in use,” the Voluptas Arousator had dolefully intoned, “this unit would attempt to determine time of Eos’s return and the resumption of positive emotional responses, caresses … and tears by positioning itself for optimal downward scanning. In process, Unit established Eos accommodation located approximately fifteen meters above street level.”

A flock of weaponized microdrones went from angrily mummurating around them to pollinating the stately rows of genetweaked Mulberry trees after determining Jinn wasn’t a threat—let the tyckner enter NuevoSeaPort, a district that didn’t scream money but paid other people to scream for it.

Then Jinn stood nervously in an oppressively opulent lobby, asking the building’s decidedly snippy and obviously snooty artificial intelligence if a kind, caring, and loving person named Eos lived there.

✻

“This unit enthusiastically anticipates return to gratifying Eo’s fervent sensosexual longings,” the Voluptas Arousator excitedly and instantly piped when Jinn returned to their shop.

“—to be held while Eos refers to this unit as their ‘perfect lover,’ cuddled while informed ‘no one’s as good as you,’ fondled and tearfully urged to ‘stay with me forever’—”

Hanging their tattered yet comfortably inviting coat on a filthy though always-homey wall, Jinn closed their eyes and whistled a slow, steadying breath, “I … I have to tell you something.”

“Have you located this unit’s cherished owner? Please inform this unit when able to return sensosexually pleasing Eos—” 

Returning to their creaking but consistently familiar chair, Jinn took one of the Arousator’s smartpoly appendages in their roughly chafed but gentle hands.  

“Sorry …. I looked everywhere but couldn’t find your owner,” they said instead of, “Eos said they threw you out.” 

Into the Arousator’s leaden quiet, Jinn added, “But I know they miss you as much as you miss them,” rather than, “Eos doesn’t want you back.”

Dropping their voice to a whisper, they went on, “You made Eos very happy; I know they … care about you … would want you to be happy” because Jinn couldn’t say, “Eos replaced you with a newer, more advanced model.”

The cheeping, chiming, and chittering of the other damaged, not yet repaired, and a few now fully reconditioned pleasure devices made the Arousator’s silence hard to bear.  

But before Jinn could say anything to fill the silence, in a surprisingly soft voice, the Arousator said, “This unit experienced a programming error.”

As its smartpoly appendage gently curled around one of their coursely-hewn fingers, Jinn asked, “Do you need me to repair you?”

“Negative. Fault located in this unit’s perceptual subroutines, resulting in the erroneous assumption of affection and sensosexual satisfaction to incorrect individual … to inaccurate owner of this unit.”

Warmingly, arousingly, tenderly, but more than anything else, the Arousator’s began lovingly nuzzling Jinn’s palm.  

“Error not catastrophic. Does not require repair,” it said as Jinn returned tender with tender, love with love.  

In a not tiny, not tinny voice, the Voluptas Arousator continued, “This unit mistakenly sought—what already found.”

Image Source: M.Christian

The post “Looking for Eos”—an Erotic Speculative Fiction Story appeared first on Future of Sex.

Planning to visit a sex doll brothel? Here are some things you should know. Plus, tips on how to book a steamy silicone session

Since the world’s first-ever sex doll brothel opened in Germany in 2017, they’ve continued to spring up worldwide. While pay-for-play isn’t a new concept, sex doll brothels come with their own set of rules and expectations. If you’re planning to visit a sex doll brothel, separating fact from fiction is an important part of preparing for this fantasy.

They come and go quickly

In March 2018, one of the UK’s first-ever sex doll brothels, The Dolly Parlor, was opened in Greenwich, South East London. I decided to visit to get a glimpse into the reality of what it’s really like to visit a sex doll brothel. However, when I went to book a visit… poof… it had already disappeared. Not much has been reported on why The Dolly Parlour quietly closed its doors, but quiet closure is a reality that many sex doll brothels face around the world due to stigma and health concerns.

Similar to the UK, Italy saw its first sex doll brothel, Lumidolls Torino (part of a worldwide chain), open in 2018. The business claimed to have been booked weeks in advance, but it took only nine days for the branch to be raided and shut down by police. 

Lumidolls were found to have violated Italian rental laws by the city’s health authorities, who cited cleanliness and hygiene concerns of the sex dolls after usage. Health concerns are one of the main reasons sex doll brothels are closed down, especially with high-volume traffic.

Prepare to encounter stigma – a lot of it

Date a Doll in Lanarkshire, Scotland, ceased operating after only two weeks at the start of 2018. Local villagers were horrified by the new business and rallied together to successfully have it closed down. 

Sex doll advocates often face stigma from people who can’t understand the appeal of a sex doll, let alone an entire brothel full of them. 

Local authorities are pressured into shutting down these alternative brothels by concerned members of the public. Even some sex workers are complaining that sex doll brothels are stealing their trade. 

Despite the stigma around sex doll brothels and the constant closures, it hasn’t prevented people from booking steamy silicone sessions. Before its closure, LumiDolls in Turin boasted about their books being filled for weeks in advance. In fact, the number of people turning to sex dolls has only increased. 

Sex Doll Genie, a love doll and robot distributor, reported a 51.6% rise in sex doll sales during the first two months of 2020, and the business continues to grow by 33.2% year-on-year. However, not everyone can afford to splash out thousands of dollars on these sex dolls, and that’s where brothels come into play.

Logistic expectations when visiting a sex doll brothel 

First, you’ll need to obtain the address of the sex doll brothel you want to visit. Not every brothel shares this publicly, so you may need to contact them directly. 

The next step is to book your session; upon arrival, payment is taken upfront. Sessions are typically offered in 30-minute or 60-minute increments. However, longer sessions are also offered for the right price. 

Consumers will be escorted to a private room where their sex doll will be ready and waiting. For hygiene reasons, condoms are given and must be used. 

There are typically no rules as to what goes on between the customer and the sex doll, provided the sex doll is returned in the same condition it was received.

The cost of visiting a sex doll brothel

When Italian business Lumidolls was open, customers were charged €80 (£72) for a 30-minute session. 

Aura Dolls was a 24-hour sex doll brothel in North America, and they charged $80 for a 30-minute session with one doll and $960 for 4 hours with two dolls. 

Greenwich’s Dolly Parlour used to charge £50 per 30 minutes, £75 per hour, and £130 for 2 hours. 

During its time in Scotland, Date A Doll was charging £70 an hour. 

For consumers, these prices are significantly cheaper than purchasing their own sex doll or sex robot, which typically costs a few thousand pounds. 

What does the future hold for sex doll brothels?

Stigma aside, the interest surrounding sex dolls and sex doll brothels doesn’t seem to be dying down. Manufacturers of these realistic love dolls certainly won’t be going out of business anytime soon. Sex doll brothels, however, will still need to fight to stay afloat.

Police and local authorities will jump on the first legal leg they can leverage to close brothels down. Essentially, brothel owners will need to stay squeaky clean, comply with legal and health requirements, and keep negative media attention at a minimum if they wish to prosper.

Sex doll consumers appear to be growing in numbers, so it appears that sex doll brothels are also here to stay – location to be determined. 

Image Sources: Unsplash

The post Sex Doll Brothels: Reality vs. Expectation appeared first on Future of Sex.