"I think we might have that kind of society.”
Imagine coming home to a partner who always agrees with you, never argues, shares your hobbies, and is ready for sex whenever you want.
That reality could soon arrive, but your “perfect partner” might be an AI-powered robot, according to artificial intelligence experts and futurists.
In late 2024, futurist Dr Ian Pearson predicted humanity “will start to see some forms of robot sex appearing in high-income, very wealthy households”.
Associate Professor Niusha Shafiabady, who specialises in computational and artificial intelligence at Australian Catholic University and Charles Darwin University, said sex with robots could become common in the near future.
She explained: “They won’t be metal. There will be textures to make them feel human.
“For our generation, that sounds bizarre, but it might not be in future generations. To be honest, I think we might have that kind of society.”
Professor Shafiabady believes today’s teenagers could lead the shift:
“They would already be very accepting of technology. Their mindset will be that they’re very comfortable with it.
“A percentage of the population might want to programme a robot to be their perfect partner.”
She said AI’s strength lies in its ability to mimic human behaviour:
“So when you make an AI robot, that robot is programmed to mimic the behaviour of a human, and it’s not just any human.
“For example, in different families, you might have people that are aggressive or sad, but AI can always be happy, and it can mimic empathy, and it has the perfect emotional response. You could programme the ideal partner using AI.”
Professor Shafiabady added that humans have been gradually adapting to technology for decades:
“People who grew up in the 20th century only interacted with other humans for play and fun.
“Since 2000, most kids have had some kind of computer screen to interact with as an option rather than another human.
“Is it ethical to continue to erode human-to-human relationships, specifically for people who are more vulnerable like kids?”
However, she warned of the risks of replacing human connection with machines:
“The question is, because a lot of people view this in the scepticism of having these AI robots eroding human-to-human relationships, is that the path that we want to head towards or not?”
While the idea of a flawless partner sounds appealing, Professor Shafiabady said it may not work long-term:
“Humans are designed in a way, in order to feel happiness, they have to have a sense of sadness too.”
“After a few years, we could see the flaws of those AI robots who will start to feel empty because humans will only be used to being praised. It’s very unnatural with our nature.”
Cost could slow the trend. Human-like sex robots can cost more than $15,000, making them inaccessible for many.
She said: “I think it’s likely that for some of the population this might be a trend depending on the cost.
“If an AI robot becomes something cheap, like a lot of computer programmes we have now, we will see a big change in our society.”
But this change is already underway as Bedbible estimates that about 156 sex robots were sold every day in 2024.
Dr Pearson believes women may be more likely to buy robot partners because they already have a technological head start.
He said: “Vibrators have been around for over a century.
“But now the vibrant sex toy industry doesn’t just make standalone devices, but teledildonic devices that bring all the fun and functionality of computing and networks to sex too.”
Data scientist Dr Cathy O’Neil warned: “I think it’s the men who should be worried.
“It’s entirely possible that robots can outperform them.”
Dr Pearson has predicted that by 2050, sex with robots will overtake sex with other humans.
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