Chinese scientists and engineers are using technology like ChatGPT to create intelligent sex robots. They want to make AI-powered companions that can talk and interact, but challenges exist.
Starpery Technology, a company in Shenzhen that makes sex dolls, is teaching its big language model to add artificial intelligence to its products. These dolls will have new abilities and will be available for purchase soon.
“We’re making a new kind of talking sex doll. Prototypes should be ready by August this year,” said CEO Evan Lee in an interview earlier this month, as the South China Morning Post reported.
Lee also mentioned that there are still some challenges with the technology, especially in making the interactions seem more human. While simple conversations are easy to program, making the responses interactive requires advanced software development.
Traditional sex dolls have a metal skeleton and a silicone exterior and can only give simple responses. They are not able to express emotions like a human can.
The new sex dolls will use AI and sensors to react to movements and speech. This is meant to improve the user experience by focusing on emotional connection rather than just basic conversations, according to Lee.
The company, focusing on international markets, is now targeting the local market. Even though China is generally conservative and people are often reluctant to talk about specific topics, Lee mentioned that China has become the largest market for sex dolls, surpassing the combined sales of the US, Japan, and Germany.
Starpery plans to develop robots that can help with household chores, assist people with disabilities, and provide care for the elderly. By 2025, the company aims to launch its first “smart service robot” capable of providing more advanced services for people with disabilities.
According to the company’s plan, by 2030, these robots could also be used to protect people from hazardous jobs. Industry experts recognise the vast market potential in China, where purchasing power in significant cities exceeds that of many European countries. This market is open-minded, although it differs aesthetically from the European market.
Challenges: Battery Capacity and Artificial Muscles
Humanoid robots need better battery energy density to operate independently because they don’t have space for large batteries. Also, current engines can’t match the flexibility of human muscles, which can exert force over a wide range and can be both hard and soft, fitting closely to the skin, according to Lee.
The weight has been reduced from 40kg to 29kg to make the dolls more realistic by improving materials and production processes. This weight reduction makes the 172cm tall doll safer and more manageable for users.
Lee mentioned that robots capable of doing household tasks are far from becoming a reality. While robotics companies can use servo motors to accomplish specific functions, the commercialisation of these robots still needs to be improved due to considerations of stability and cost.
“He said it will take the entire industry about 10 years to achieve the goal. In addition to technical difficulties, Starpery also faces cost and ethics challenges.”
Humanoid robots have key components called reducers, which transfer power between the motor and the robot joints. Reducers typically make up 30 per cent of the robot’s cost and might require multiple gears at different joints.
Lee mentioned that they aim to lower costs so more people can afford realistic dolls. However, adding motors will increase the cost to some extent.
Dolls from the company Starpery, located in Shenzhen, southern Guangdong province, are priced at around US$1,500. This company benefits from lower manufacturing costs due to its complete supply chain and location in the world’s most extensive production base for adult products. On the other hand, the advanced Harmony doll, produced by Abyss Creations in the United States, starts at US$6,000.
The supply chain in Guangdong is strong, and manufacturers respond quickly to market demands. New technologies rapidly appear in products, and they are seen elsewhere the following month, according to Lee.
In addition to Starpery, other Chinese manufacturers such as WMdoll in Zhongshan, another city in Guangdong, and EXdoll in Dalian, a northeastern province in Liaoning, also plan to introduce interactive products by integrating AI into physical dolls.
Humanoid Robot Industry
“Innovations driven by customised models, trained on various data sets, have led to a wave of products that are changing industry landscapes and how people interact with them,” explained Tang Jie, a computer science professor at Tsinghua University. For instance, large language models play a significant role in humanoid robots’ development.
LimX Dynamics’ spokesperson, Ou Jinyan, stated that their robotics technology speeds up development, enhances motion control and provides user-friendly tools that significantly increase developer productivity.
AI-powered sex robots could create ethical problems around consent and reinforce harmful gender stereotypes. These issues add to the technical concerns in the industry.
Using AI companions too much for sexual or emotional needs might make it harder for someone to form natural connections with others. This could affect their ability to have healthy relationships.
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The rapid development of AI-powered sex robots is happening faster than the creation of laws and rules about their use, ownership, and the responsibilities of makers and users. This is leading to uncertainty about what’s legal and what’s not.
In 2023, the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology published “Research Report on AI Ethics Governance.” The report mentioned that AI’s ability to make decisions under certain conditions could challenge human autonomy and self-perception.
Large language models present risks of data leaks and privacy violations because user information could be used to train generative AI, potentially leading to privacy breaches.
