‘Love and Sex with Robots’: Technology to become part of our eroticism - whether we like it or not

Researchers from Quebec are at the forefront of a technological revolution that could transform human sexuality—and it has already, according to a conference held at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) entitled "Love and Sex with Robots," writes The Montreal Gazette.

If "erobotics," as it is called, arouses curiosity and even disbelief in some, then the conference schedule is a sign that it is no longer hypothetical.

The ninth edition of the conference, organized by an interdisciplinary group of researchers from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, included about 20 panels that examined a range of issues related to "erobotics"—among them were the reciprocity of feelings, the influence of the menstrual cycle on the personalization of sexual stimuli, the manifestation of erectile dysfunction when exposed to virtual erotic scenarios, and the study of the artistic creativity of virtual companions.

The term “erobotics” was coined by two researchers, Simon Dubé, an associate professor of sexology at UQAM, and Dave Anctil, a professor of philosophy and artificial intelligence at Jean de Brébeuf College. It refers to a field of research that studies the interaction and erotic coevolution between humans and machines.

The term covers—among other things—sex toys, dating sites augmented by virtual reality, and chatbots.

“The most stereotypical ideas about this future sexuality no longer reflect the range of possibilities that are currently on the market,” Dubé noted. “People are increasingly creating their own pornography; they are able to create complex images and videos, and create characters with which they can interact, and then (other characters) can interact with this content.”

Contrary to popular belief, these relationships are equally interesting for men and women. But there is a difference now: “Men are more interested in sex with artificial partners, including robots, than women,” he said. “Whether we like it or not, these technologies will become part of our eroticism,” he added. “We need to find a harmonious way to do this.”