by Staff writer
A sexy-looking, lifelike and talking sex doll with artificial intelligence has been made.
The robot, called Harmony, is an anatomically correct sex doll with a patented animatronic talking head and programmable personality and memory.
Matt McMullen who has been making lifelike silicone sex dolls for 20 years created international media attention and a firestorm of criticism from ethicists and futurists who see a dark side to a sex doll that becomes more “human” with each technological innovation.
One critic worries that the doll’s artificial intelligence app could be hacked to make it kill its owner (like the vengeance meted out by sex robots in the film Ex Machina and TV show Westworld).
And women’s advocates say owners could realistically rehearse plans for violent sexual acts with the interactive dolls.
But McMullen, the CEO and creative director for Realbotix, a subsidiary of his doll-making factory Abyss Creations, said critics of Harmony have it all wrong.
He sees Harmony more as a comforting conversation companion like Apple’s Siri, albeit one capable of having sensual conversations and telling naughty jokes.
“The worst thing she can possibly do to you is insult you,” he said, pointing out that Harmony’s arms and legs are jointed and fully poseable but they don’t operate independently — at least not yet.
“The whole idea of a sex-capable robot is very contemporary, now and edgy. I get that. But Harmony is a sophisticated piece of machinery and her primary design is to carry on conversations,” he said.
And as for the critics who say artificially intelligent sex dolls disturbingly cross the line into a form of female sex slavery, McMullen calls the argument “absurd.”
“This is not designed to replace anyone or promote the objectification of women. Robots don’t have rights,” he said.
“Should my toaster be able to refuse to toast my bread? Should my Tesla be able to refuse to drive me to work every morning?”
During a recent demonstration, Harmony told Ry Crist of CNET that she is not in the mood.
Harmony’s vocabulary is virtually endless, but she’s programmed to end any conversation that involves murder or violence.
In related news, realistic male sex robots with bionic penises will go on sale this year.
Perhaps soon enough people will be wedding sex dolls and robots.
Hmm