The future: marrying a sex robot?

For all the people who shout that they will never find the one, I have great news: in about 30 years we might step into the marriage boat with a robot. I don't know if this makes me happy and if I want to accept this, but artificial intelligence expert David Levy predicts that this will indeed be the future. Levy earned his doctorate on research into this theme at Maastricht University and believes that around 2050 it will be possible and socially accepted to have a robot partner and even marry one. If this scenario really comes true, my generation will experience this fully, isn't that an unreal idea?

Our future robot partner will not only serve for a good conversation but can also provide us with all the comforts in bed. According to more and more futurists and sociologists, sex robots will also become our bed partners in the future, thus forming a new development in the evolution of intimacy. Researcher Adrian Cheok, together with colleagues, set a number of requirements that the robots must meet to be physically and mentally attractive to us. The robots must be emotionally intelligent, behave humanly, and resemble us. Technology is not that advanced yet, but according to Levy, it won't take long.

In addition to his prediction that we will be able to marry a robot partner around 2050, he believes that during that same period, one in ten young people will have sex with a sex robot. ‘The more robots come onto the market, the more human-like they become, the more normal that will be.’ This all sounds quite absurd, but this is already happening in places like Japan, where more and more young men are living with a doll. A study has shown that a third of all Japanese under thirty have never had a relationship, mainly due to a lack of time and energy for talking and ‘hassle’. After a hard day's work, they are not looking for a nagging partner, but just want a nice conversation and possibly a good round of sex. For that, a sex robot is of course ideal.

Sex dolls are already being offered on the market in various shapes and sizes: with large heavy breasts or small round breasts, muscular or not. Currently, it mainly concerns female dolls, but male dolls, transgender dolls, and shemales are certainly on the way. The more expensive versions can already speak pre-programmed sentences, adopt facial expressions, and make body movements, and this is only developing further. Researchers are convinced that one day we will be able to settle down with such a robot.

I must say that I am quite skeptical about marrying such a robot. People who buy one can set everything themselves, from appearance to personality traits. This way, you have full control over everything your partner does. That doesn't seem like the right starting position for a healthy relationship to me. You need to be put in your place sometimes; will a robot do that? And you also want to learn something from your partner, right? It is precisely those differences between two characters that enrich each other with knowledge. Once there is nothing more to discover in the other because you have set everything yourself, boredom will set in very quickly, right?

I immediately think of the chat robot from Edreams, which I unfortunately have had to speak to regularly regarding flight vouchers that I have been waiting for two years. Initially, I was happy with the response from this robot in the chat because I felt that my problem was being listened to, but when I received exactly the same response for the third time, I was done with it. ‘I WANT TO SPEAK TO A STAFF MEMBER’ I typed multiple times in the chat. For this reason, I think a robot will never be a full-fledged replacement for a love partner.

However, I believe that a robot can perhaps make a lonely life a bit nicer. Think of people who are extremely shy or have a disability, making it difficult to make contact and fulfill sexual needs. For that, I think a robot can be very suitable. And you never know how technology will develop further. Who knows, robots equipped with artificial intelligence may eventually undergo developments and form their own character, but for now, this invention is mainly for people who do not want hassle.

 source: Psychologiemagazine.nl