If we're to believe Steven Spielberg's 2001 sci-fi flick AI: Artificial Intelligence, sex robots aren't supposed to happen until at least the 22nd century . . .
But two researchers in New Zealand now think otherwise, offering up the possibility of a hypothetical red light district filled with android prostitutes (not the Google's Android type) in less than four decades.
Imagine it's 2050.
"The Yub-Yum is Amsterdam’s top sex club for business travelers located beside a 17th century canal house on the Singel," writes futurist Ian Yeoman and sexologist Michelle Mars in an article for the scholarly journal Futures.
"It is modern and gleaming with about 100 scantily clad blonde and brunettes parading around in exotic G-strings and lingerie. Entry costs €10,000 for an all inclusive service."
Of course, the Yub-Yum is staffed not by humans, but by carefully-designed droids whose rates and services are regulated by the city government.
Clubs like this have transformed the Dutch sex industry, freeing it from any health and human trafficking issues.
"The only social issues surrounding the club," Yeoman and Mars predict, "is the resistance from human sex workers who say they can’t compete on price and quality."
Really?
Surely the erotic robots in 2050 won't be as advanced as Jude Law's creepy-but-personable android Gigolo Joe in AI (see the video below).
Somewhat skeptical — and a little naive, so it turns out — we decided to do a little research ofoury own into the feasibility of prostibots.
"Oh, they're definitely coming," a retailer at a adult shop said in a phone interview. "They already have some of them out right now, man. There are ones with remote controls and everything."
The clerk, who wished to be referred to as Mr. Anonymous, sais that the leading robots have been coming from Japan, where manufacturers are constantly improving the overall "look and texture" of the machines.
"I've actually even seen a few at several different vendors," he said. "They run around US$5,000 [€3,783] a piece."
Source: Culture map
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