From the Draghi report to the New York Times, sex robots are rapidly becoming part of a national dialogue on the future of sex and relationships.
Behind the headlines, some companies are currently developing robots designed to provide companionship and sexual pleasure for humans-some of which are already on the market.
Unlike sex toys and dolls, these toys and dolls are usually sold off-sitethe-
The radar shop hidden in the closet may become mainstream.
According to a 2017 survey, nearly half of Americans believe that sexual relations with robots will become a common practice within 50 years.
As a scholar in artificial intelligence, neuroscience and law, I am interested in the legal and policy issues raised by sex robots.
How do we make sure they are safe, how intimate relationships with sex robots can affect the human brain, and sex with child robots can be ethical, anyway, what exactly is a sex robot?
"It doesn't seem to matter, but it's actually a serious problem for any proposal to govern or ban them.
The main problem is how to distinguish between sex robots and sexy robots.
Just because robots are attractive to humans and can provide sexual satisfaction, whether it should be labeled as "sex robots" is easy to define them as sex toys made by the legislature, by focusing on their main uses.
In Alabama, the only state that is still completely banned from selling sex toys, the government's goal is "equipment mainly used to stimulate human genital organs ".
"The problem with applying this definition to sex robots is that the latter provides more than just sex.
Sex robots are not just dolls with microchips.
They will use themselves.
Learn algorithms to stimulate the mood of your partner.
Think about the "Mark 1" robot like actor Scarlett Johnson.
It is often labeled as a sex robot, but when I interviewed Ricky Ma Tsz Hang, its creator, he quickly clarified that Mark 1 is not a sex robot.
Instead, the goal of these robots is to help with a variety of tasks, from preparing a child's lunch to having an older relative accompany him.
In a landmark 2003 case, the Supreme Court overturned the sodomy law in Texas and established what some scholars call sexual privacy.
At present, the circuit court is divided on how Lawrence applies to the state's restrictions on the sale of sexual toys.
The Alabama ban has been supported so far, but I suspect that all sexual toy bans will eventually be lifted.
If so, it seems unlikely that states will limit the sale of sex robots on a large scale.
However, the ban on playful sex robots may vary.
It is not clear whether there is anyone in the United States. S.
I already have a child sex robot.
But the possibility of even child sex robots has prompted the House to pass a bipartisan bill.
Launched in 2017 and unanimously approved six months later.
Politicians in the country will certainly follow suit, and we may see a lot of attempts to ban sex robots for children.
However, it is not clear whether such a ban can withstand the challenge of the Constitution.
On the one hand, the Supreme Court held that the prohibition of child pornography did not violate the First Amendment because the state had a strong interest in reducing the impact of child pornography on the children depicted.
However, the Supreme Court also held that the Prevention of Child Pornography Act of 1996 was too broad in an attempt to ban "child pornography that does not portray real children ".
The fun robot is a robot, not a human being.
Like virtual child pornography, the development of child sex robots does not require interaction with any child.
However, it may also be argued that playful robots can have serious harmful effects, forcing the state to act.
Whether or not the government and how sex robots are regulated will depend on our understanding of the impact of sex robots on individuals and society-or our assumptions.
In 2018, the Houston City Council issued a decree banning the first American action to do so, making headlines.
Called the Robot "brothel.
At a community meeting, an attendee warned: "businesses like this will destroy the homes, families, finances of our neighbors and lead to the displacement of residents of major communities in the city.
But a terrible prediction like this is purely speculation.
There is no evidence of how the introduction of sex robots will affect individuals or society.
For example, will a man who uses a child sex robot harm a real human child more or less? Will robots replace human beings in interpersonal relationships, or will they enhance interpersonal relationships like sex toys? for those who are lonely, robots fill the gaps without companions, just like a pilot uses a virtual flight simulator before driving a real plane, can a Virgin use a sex robot to safely practice sex before trying something real? There are more unanswered questions about sex robots than actual sex robots.
Although it is difficult to conduct empirical research before sex robots become more popular, informed governance requires researchers to explore these topics urgently.
Otherwise, we may see reactionary governance decisions based on assumptions and fears of doomsday scenarios.
A fascinating question for me is how the current taboo on sex robots will fluctuate over time.
Some time ago, humans attracted by the same sex felt embarrassed to make this public.
Today, society's ethics of "digital possibilities" are equally contradictory-the phrase used to describe some people --
Technology intimacy.
Will there be a time when, in the near future, humans attracted by robots will be happy to announce their relationship with robots, one who knows the answer to this question.
But I know that sex robots will soon enter the US market and it is important to be prepared for this reality.
Imagine that the law that controls six robots is no longer an assumption or science fiction by a law professor. It’s a real-
The world challenges that society will face for the first time.
I hope the law is correct.