2024-04-20 07:25:29
Amidst the traditional vibrators, dolls and harnesses currently on display in Shanghai at an adult products exhibition, a new trend is titillating visitors: artificial intelligence-led sex toys.
Around 70% of sex toys produced in the world are produced in China. A huge number are on display at this weekend’s show, from dildos that mimic tentacles to hyper-realistic dolls.
But smart toys are becoming increasingly popular.
European and American brands already offer products that allow you to make love remotely or even get closer to a fantasy worthy of a science fiction movie: sex with robots.
“The use of artificial intelligence has become more popular in the last two years, but we are still in the early stages,” Hannes Hultman, sales director of the Chinese company, told AFP.
She is one of those who ventures into the sector of “teledildonics”, i.e. the use of technology to imitate human sexual interaction.
One of the flagship products is a masturbator that, thanks to artificial intelligence, can be synchronized with a pornographic film. He can then imitate the actors’ movements on the screen and reproduce the sensations.
The company has also launched erotic chat software with other companies.
“You can then ask the artificial intelligence to take control of your sex toy,” explains Mr. Hultman.
“You create your virtual girlfriend and ask her to interact with you. Basically, you can touch your body through this toy.”
“Less pornographic”
The Beijing company Sistalk Technology also offers, via its application, to hand over control of a sex toy to a “boyfriend” created by artificial intelligence.
Young Chinese, who have higher incomes and higher welfare requirements than their elders, are profoundly changing the market, says a salesperson from the company to AFP.
“We certainly make sex toys. But we’re trying to change the mindset of (our potential customers) and make (these objects) less pornographic,” he says.
The Sistalk application also functions as a classic social network, where users share their interests and… can even make love online by controlling each other’s sex toys.
“It’s really a new trend developing in Europe,” says Malgorzata Zasada, from the Oninder company.
“In Asia, in China, it’s not yet that popular, but it’s changing and I think it’s going to be a hit.”
Ethical questions remain when it comes to privacy around artificial intelligence.
At the moment, however, the number of people affected is still low: the Chinese Sistalk application, for example, only has regarding 500 users, a small number compared to the Chinese population (1.4 billion inhabitants).
But China and the Asia-Pacific in general are considered the markets of the future because the vision of sexuality has developed significantly there in recent years.
Orgasm detector
“When I was 20 and went to buy condoms at the pharmacy, I immediately put them in my pocket and ran,” said Ye Pei, an exhibitor.
But now that this type of purchase is no longer so taboo, “the clerk might recommend this or that condom to me because it’s ultra-thin, it lasts longer or it has nubs,” notes the 40-year-old man with a smile.
Another revolution: the much greater consideration today for female pleasure, declares Cola, from the company BeU, a brand that only produces toys for women.
“People are much more accepting now (of adult products before, it might have caused embarrassment), she explains.
Now, certain toys also focus on wellness.
One of the vibrators on display at the Shanghai fair is said to be able to predict ovulation by measuring internal temperature or even help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
Others will be able to detect when their user reaches orgasm and remember what type of pulsations allowed them to get there.
“The technology side, the artificial intelligence, it’s all developing so quickly,” says Hannes Hultman in Svakom.
– It will be very interesting to see where all this takes us.
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