Hyper-Realistic Sex Dolls | A Sinister Threat or Harmless Fun?

Hyper-realistic sex dolls, aka sex robots, have been at the heart of debate lately. But, should we allow them? Will they do more harm than good? Author Sienna Saint-Cyr offers us her thoughts on this topic.

Sex robots – what are they?

Many might assume that sex robots are akin to sex dolls - just realistic body parts or holes to penetrate - but sex robots go above and beyond sex dolls. While a sex doll might offer an alternative to sex with a human (whether oral, anal or intercourse), they can’t be ‘programmed’ to respond to how someone wants to be pleased. The idea behind sex robots is that they will be able to be programmed to the exact specs you want physically, sexually, and maybe even programmed to interact in nonsexual ways.
 
Right now, one company is coming close with their ‘real doll’ line. These are silicone dolls that come as close to a real human as possible. Well, except that they can be custom ordered and look far more like unrealistic porn stars than actual people. The company refers to them as high-end sex dolls. While these are still inanimate at this point, the company is much closer to creating a complete sex robot - built to meet all the purchaser’s needs.
 

Are these dolls ethical?

While sex robots aren’t on the market yet, there is the question as to whether we should let them be. While some companies are making these dolls for folks struggling to find a companion or for those with extreme sexual desires, some are making these realistic robotic females for men to and beat. They claim that it’s better than doing it to a human, but as psychology tells us, playing a video game with a great deal of violence may lead those prone to violence to act. If someone is inclined to , will acting this out make it more enticing? Will it create neural pathways in the brain that make jumping to those actions easier as time goes on? These are answers we don’t have yet.
 
Personally, I lean in the direction of being pro sex robot. I know lots of folks that desire to have their fantasies fulfilled. So they arrange something, act it out, and get that need met, all with underlying consent. Acting out a fantasy with a willing and consenting party doesn’t mean that will lead to actual non-consensual .
 
Leyna Alexander M.Ed. of Dynamic Counseling had this to say, “Some benefits are; people could get their physical needs met if they have difficulty finding a positive connection with another person. Sex robots are a form of birth control and could potentially reduce over-population, abortion, and poverty. A grey area: Sex robots could create a scenario where people stop connecting with each other. My biggest concern would be that teenagers, who are in the prime of figuring out their sexuality and connections with others, would not learn those skills because they can use a robot.”
 
So are they ethical? I think so. As with everything we do, we have to think about our actions and behaviour. What are we choosing to use these robots for? Are we educating the youth about them as we do with the unrealistic side of porn? Sexbots may do us an excellent service, but we need to be responsible.


Inside RealDoll: Harmony the AI sex-robot on Vimeo by harrietsugarcookie.com.  Image labelled for reuse.
 

Are they a threat to women?

Because men mostly purchase these dolls, a lot of women’s rights activists are concerned that these dolls will cause men to only see women as sex objects even more. Something they can own and do anything they want with. Others are concerned that men will become addicted to their sex robots and stop having sex with their girlfriends or wives.
 
While I get where these concerns might come from, we also have fucking machines right now. Most men’s toys aren’t mechanical, but many women’s toys are. We have very fancy dildos that can come attached to a torso, or that ejaculate, where speeds adjust to the woman’s exact desires, and size of the phallus can fluctuate depending on her mood… I’m sure at some point those with a penis may have been threatened by these toys too. Maybe even women dating other women, because what if her girlfriend enjoyed the penis toy? We didn’t let those insecurities stop us then, so why do that now? 
 
No matter how fancy the device, people haven’t stopped wanting sex with an actual human. I don’t feel sex robots will be any different, who knows, maybe they’d be great fun for couples. If one person is bisexual but is fully monogamous with their partner, the couple could use one of these dolls together in a triad situation, and without feeling like they’re straying from their relationship preference.
 

Sex robots for fun!

Overall, I see the potential for a lot of fun with these adult dolls. They might even serve as a device to explore a different aspect of our sexuality or a kink, without feeling the pressure of doing it with a human partner. Like with all technology, we should monitor ourselves, but that’s just responsible regardless of what we’re engaging in. I say, enjoy yourself!
 

Sienna Saint-Cyr writes erotica and blogs about kink, poly, body image, and most things relating. 
 

What do you think about AI and sex dolls? Leave a comment or start a thread! Just click on the image below.  

Cover Image:  Have_mercy. Flickr Creative Commons.