THE advancement of artificial intelligence will change many aspects of modern life.
Whether it be in the workplace or at home, supercharged, intuitive computers will play an integral role in our day-to-day activities.
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A therapist told The U.S. Sun his fears about patients relying too much on AI-powered counselors, with concerns growing of them becoming too attached to their virtual confidant.
The same problems are envisaged among those specializing in sexuality, most specifically people falling in love with robots.
As AI tech improves, so too will the experience of interaction with chatbots or lifelike creations which, for many suffering from social problems, are a welcome introduction.
New-age sex toys are beginning to flood the market.
Indeed, there are already virtual devices on sale that allow users to touch and feel a loved one from thousands of miles away as well as smart vibrators which measure the intensity of orgasms
But what about the advent of sexbots in the future?
Sexuality expert Kaamna Bhojwani, who has been investigating advances in AI and tech and how it could change relationships and intimacy, envisages all manner of problems unless there are clear guidelines as to who has programmed the software.
The San Francisco-based academic, who has a master’s degree in spiritual psychology from Columbia University, has no qualms about people showing affection or desires for AI bots.
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She is more concerned with the messaging, and where it’s come from in the first place.
“The question is, who’s controlling the machine?” she asked The U.S. Sun.
“Not to get political here, but if it was a China, if it was a Russia, how do we know the implications? When it comes to something like sexuality and relationships and intimacy, we’re talking about a very vulnerable core.
“So if you want to have a relationship with the machine and you don’t know who’s pulling the strings on that machine I would be very careful.”
Kaamna points to the increase in the use of smart devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Nest and the fear of them “listening to you.”
“We’re letting these devices into our houses, we’re generally free around them, but we don’t have an intimate relationship with them in the same way,” she added.
“I don’t want to feed conspiracy theories because like I said, I do believe we have to integrate with all of these things.
“But if you are going to let in a machine into a very vulnerable space, which is your relationships, your emotions, your intimacy, be careful about where they’re coming from.”
There is a lot of potential advantages for people using AI, and not just to fill voids in their life.
It can help educate people about sexuality, especially in states or countries where such discussions are off the table.
There are also potential ethical minefields to navigate – Kaamna raises the alarming prospect of someone sexually abusing a robot or AI presence and what, if any, action could be taken.
Regulation, however, is key to everything.
“We are still in the driver’s seat,” she said. “We don’t need a war where people fear the robots are coming. We need integration.
“The difference really will be when these machines are sentient, and have advocacy and then eventually spirit.
“We aren’t there yet and, at the end of the day, I’m still a fan of the human experience and the human spirit. There are huge positive implications but there’s a lot of stuff that can go awry if we are willing to let it.”
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