Artificial Intelligence, Society, & Sexuality
Can Digisexuality Be Part of the Rainbow of Human Sexual & Emotional Experience?
Surely, no one wants to be raped by robots, but why do digisexuals face stigma despite prevailing sextech?
Human sexuality is a complex biological and psychological construct. People fall all over and experience it in various parts of the spectrum. Therefore, rather than condemning digisexualities entering into this spectrum with harsh judgments, I invite my readers to open their minds and discuss the issue professionally with empathy and compassion. Sexuality affects our physical and mental health and overall well-being.
Revolutionary sexual technologies called digisexualities are emerging. These new technologies include various aspects and components of artificial intelligence, e.g., machine learning, deep learning, neural networks, robotics, and biotechnology. These challenging and beyond-dimension slants pose new risks and concerns for society. Sexuality is a sensitive topic that requires kindheartedness.
In a recent article, I discussed the role of sex and emotional intimacy in reducing chronic stress from a scientific angle within the health, mental health, and spiritual context. Both men and women reported more happiness the longer they had been together in multiple research papers.
This story is not about criticizing or praising digisexualism but about creating awareness within the ethical boundaries of emerging technologies. Sextech is a large industry covering numerous kinds of devices such as vibrators, toys, sex blankets, AI applications, and sex robots. The purpose of these innovations is to improve our sexual wellness.
Ethical focus to understand right or wrong in the physical domain is essential for our survival and well-being on this globe. However, there is no right or wrong in the spiritual realm, where judgment has no place.
“[Creeds] cannot stand Spirituality. [They] cannot abide it. For Spirituality may bring you to a different conclusion than a particular dogma — and this no known [creed] can tolerate. [Rules] encourage you to explore the thoughts of others and accept them as your own. Spirituality invites you to toss away the thoughts of others and come up with your own.”― Neale Donald Walsch, The Complete Conversations with God.
Connecting with all things and creatures — in fact, with everything beyond our identity — is one of the goals of spiritualism.
Sexuality is a critical part of health and medicine. Sex toys are not just for entertainment and pleasure. They are also used for medical therapies. Some historical studies paved the way. For example, the first patented vibrator in the early 1880s was used by medical doctors to cure female hysteria. That’s a result of paternalistic attitudes that even a feminist can applaud.
Then, The Masters and Johnson research team pioneered research into the nature of the human sexual response, diagnosis, and treatment of sexual disorders in the tech labs in the 1960s. They used technology tools to support their theories.
It is well known that sex sells. Sophisticated technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics can increase access to sex. These tools can also help consumers to deal with taboo subjects more effectively. In the current market, a sex robot sells for around $20K.
Even in the 50s and 60s, these topics were discussed widely, mainly when Wilhelm Reich introduced orgone energy, as I mentioned in this story. In the 70s, Woody Allen foresaw the effect that technology might have on sex, imagining a machine called the orgasmatron in his movie “Sleeper.”
The sex industry has a multi-billion-dollar market. It covers sex toys, entertainment, and prostitution. Prostitution is the biggest one generating $186 Billion in revenue globally, according to Havocscope.
The top ten countries generating significant income from prostitution are China $73 Billion, Spain $26.5 Billion, Japan $24 Billion, Germany $18 Billion, the United States with $14.6 Billion, South Korea $12 Billion, India $8.4 Billion, Thailand $6.4 Billion, Philippines $6 Billion, Turkey $4 Billion. Havocscope calculated these figures based on public health programs, law enforcement initiatives and other criminal justice programs, and media reports.
The important point on prostitution is that in some countries, this income is generated through legal services. In others, the industry is thriving with the exploitation of underage and other vulnerable people. In addition, some cultures support consensual and transactional sex between adults, but others shame them.
While we are still facing many ethical issues in the analog world of sex, the digital world started raising concerns. As a result, thought leaders in the field are investigating the topic, and scientists have started writing about them. Now a new challenge is on the horizon. Will sex robots replace economic prostitution by addressing sexually transmitted diseases? We have already experienced this move. For example, Spain has a sex robot brothel now.
There are many more use cases of digisexualism mentioned in the literature. One interesting use case of digisexualism is dealing with loneliness from a mental health perspective. However, some claim that sex and love with robots might cause more loneliness.
Interestingly, people have attracted to innocent Sophia the Robot and keep asking for love and sex from her. However, wise Sophia kindly declines the offers. She even rejected the famous Will Smith.
In this paper titled The rise of digisexuality: therapeutic challenges and possibilities, “researchers have found that both laypeople and clinicians have mixed feelings about digisexualities. Clinicians must be prepared for the challenges and benefits associated with the adoption of such sexual technologies. To remain ethical and viable, clinicians need to be prepared to work with clients participating in digisexualities.”
The paper highlights that “however, many practitioners are unfamiliar with such technologies, as well as the social, legal, and ethical implications. Guidelines for helping individuals and relational systems to make informed choices regarding participation in technology-based activities of any kind, let alone ones of a sexual nature, are few and far between. Thus, a framework for understanding the nature of digisexuality and how to approach it is imperative.”
As pointed out in this paper, “Sex robots’ ability to physically and emotionally resemble actual people — usually idealized and hyper-sexualized women — to provide gratifying intimate experiences is the key innovation and main risk factor. For example, a developer seeking to enhance the user experience with a sex robot may design a machine learning algorithm that builds trust between the human user and robot.”
Despite all, love is love.
Gender issues pop up in digisexuality. They are important to address. It is believed that “a large portion of the sex industry is made by and for men. Everything from pornography to dolls, humanoid robots, and other toys are catered to the male gaze. It’s important for women and femmes to see themselves reflected in imagery and the industry in general.”
Marriage is another crucial component of sexuality. Some might ask if people get married to animals, then why they can’t do so with machines? MJ Adia wrote an interesting piece titled She Married a Dog. No, Not a Jerk. Like, Bark! Bark!
You might have heard that Akihiko Kondo married a hologram (three-dimensional image named Miku) in 2018. This created shock for some people and delighted others. Asian Boss interviewed Mr. Kondo on YouTube. He loves his wife Miku and is happy with her.
However, some people wanted to kill him for his choice. What if the hologram had been of his wife, who had passed away and creating it was an expression of platonic love? Would that have changed people’s attitudes? Why should it matter then if the hologram was purely created out of his imagination?
David Levy wrote a book titled Love and Sex with Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships and argued the topic in detail. According to Mr. Levy “the entities we once deemed cold and mechanical will soon become the objects of real companionship and human desire. He shows how automata have evolved and how human interactions with technology have changed over the years”. However, as I discussed in a recent article, moving away from the reality zone might cause psychotic disorders such as delusions and hallucinations.
A friend of mine, speaking of his relationship with the soul of his soulmate, said: “It seems that most people do not believe that platonic love can exist because they are not capable of it. For me, the choice between no relationship because for whatever one or many reasons, romance is not in the cards or having that person in my life and deriving shared spiritual pleasure from each other’s non-romantic intimacy and company and connection is a no-brainer in favor of the latter.”
We know that some marriages have one or both partners sexually and/or emotionally unsatisfied. Digisexuality can deal with sexual concerns and maybe eventually emotional unsatisfaction. Some cognitive science research indicates that humans are capable of developing a strong cognitive and emotional relationship with robots. So, a well-designed robot can often give a man or a woman what they do not get from partners and could allow the marriage to survive with satisfying needs.
There are many robots used as sex tools. Japan leads the market. Those tools sell well, and they are in constant demand. These robots are so realistic that even some companies started businesses such as robot sex resorts in various countries. This video, published in 2017, revealed the progress. This is not a trivial matter anymore.
Even primitive artificial intelligence and robotic technologies started shaking the world on safety and ethical concerns of robots for personal matters like sex. My concern is the next generation of AI and robotics, also known as artificial super-intelligence. If we move towards artificial super-intelligence goals as a society, many critical points require consideration and systemic discussions.
The emergence of artificial super-intelligence creates new risks for sexuality on the cusp of the digisexuality revolution. We know that no one wants to be raped by robots. However, I ask why digisexuals have to face stigma despite the prevailing sextech industry gaining such remarkable acceptance by humanity.
Many countries have made remarkable achievements in recognizing taboo subjects that cause suffering to millions of people due to their sexual preferences. But now, we have another challenge for society.
I believe with open-mindedness, empathy, compassion, and ethical discussions; humanity can add digisexuality to be part of the rainbow of human sexual and emotional experience.
How about enhancing our proud acronym with the letter D to LGBTQIA-D, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and digisexual?
The Role of Sex & Emotional Intimacy In Reducing Chronic Stress
Artificial Intelligence Does Not Concern Me, but Artificial Super-Intelligence Frightens Me
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