Artificial intelligence is everywhere, and whether one chooses to embrace it or fears it, there’s no getting away from its pervasive presence in everyday life. Now, Chinese scientists and engineers have just taken that technology to new heights: AI-powered sex robots. Just think of a companion robot that looks ultra-realistic and can also chat with you and respond to touch, per a report by the South China Morning Post. This is where Starpery Technology, based in Shenzhen and known as the leader for producing sex dolls, comes in, breaking through this.
Their latest project has Evan Lee, Starpery’s chief executive officer, excited. “We’re working on a next-generation sex doll with the ability to converse with and physically engage users,” he said, adding that prototypes will be ready this August. Unlike regular sex dolls, which only can offer basic responses, these new dolls are equipped with advanced sensors and artificial intelligence, which allows them to move and talk in order to be more lively when interacting.
It aims to connect with users at an emotional level, making the AI companions far more than just a techie toy. Notwithstanding the technically demanding challenges—making the interactions feel genuinely human—Starpery is pushing forward to realize this dream.
Building robots like these is really challenging. The huge juice a battery can hold is one major challenge. These robots obviously do not have space to accommodate large batteries like an electric car does, so their energy density really needs to be improved. Making a sort of flexible equivalent to human muscles at this point in the technology is another challenge in this area. That range of applied force and motion which human muscles are capable of, current motors just cannot cover.
This is what Starpery has been struggling with—to make such dolls from heavy to lighter, and make them more human-like, as mentioned in the report. By July 2023, it managed to slim down its tall doll from 172cm, 5 feet 6 inches, to just 29kg, a big improvement from 40kg previously.
While these are exciting breakthroughs in technology, they are not without their challenges. Critical components and reducers that pass power between the motor and the robot joints raise the major problem of cost. These reducers view account for 30 per cent of the robot’s price.
Starpery hopes to bring down the prices to popularize these realistic dolls,” he said. Our editions now cost about 10,000 yuan each, compared with more than 40,000 yuan for advanced models like Abyss Creation’s Harmony doll, which is more expensive than 40,000 yuan.
Besides the issues of affordability, a range of ethical questions also arises. Critics argue that AI companions could blur ethical boundaries, further harmful stereotypes, and diminish genuine human connections. At the same time, the rapid development of AI leaves existing legal frameworks far behind and creates uncertainty about the way they should be used and owned.
Well, despite all the odds, the future does seem quite interesting. Starpery has in its roadmap the development of robots performing house chores, helping people with disabilities, and providing aged care by 2025. In the year 2030, it sees robots saving people from hazardous jobs.
Get ready to welcome a new kind of companion into your life, one that talks, moves, and possibly even feels a bit like love.
AI-powered sex dolls will be introduced in China to give consumers realistic experiences.
