Someone Is Seriously Launching a Campaign Against Sex Robots
A.I. just got a lot saucier.
Artificial intelligence is already kind of creepy. Ex Machina and basically any robot movie in existence is proof that, when it doubt, human beings should never, ever mess with their robot brethren.
But that’s not why two robotics researchers have launched a campaign to stop people from bumping uglies with sex robots. According to robot ethicist Dr. Kathleen Richards, “The development of sex robots will further reinforce relations of power that do not recognize both parties as human subjects. Only the buyer of sex is recognized as a subject, the seller of sex (and by virtue the sex-robot) is merely a thing to have sex with.”
But isn’t that the whole point of a sex robot; that it would be a robot and not a human? We’re God knows how far away from full-on sentient androids which may actually have feelings and rights to consider. And seems Dr. Richards was unaware that we’ve had sex robots, called vibrators, for years. Furthermore, Richards compares these sexbots to prostitutes. Apparently paying money for an object made of wires, plastic and silicone and then proceeding to have sex with it makes it a prostitute. It’s important to note that said object has no cognition thus is not able to comprehend the concept of prostitution. Or anything at all, for that matter.
Richards goes on to argue that sexbots will reduce human empathy, which she stipulates can only develop through mutual relationships. What those against robosexuals fail to notice is that these robots will likely exist to serve as a utility. It’s pretty unlikely that many people will form an emotional connection with an animatronic mannequin that makes mechanical moaning noises and can’t blink. “We are not supplanting the wife or trying to replace a girlfriend,” sex robot engineer Douglas Hines said to the BBC. “This is a solution for people who are between relationships or someone who has lost a spouse.”
See? Harmless. So perhaps it’s wiser to put down our pitchforks and get our hands on some mechanized lovin’ instead.
Photos by New Line Cinema
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