Women may soon prefer robots over real men, expert says

IT HAS been suggested that the sex robot industry could soon make women redundant, but one US mathematician says men should be the ones concerned.

THERE has been a lot of talk suggesting that the growing sex robot industry could soon make women redundant in terms of sexual gratification, but one US mathematician says it is the men who should be worried.

Dr Cathy O’Neil believes that human men are at risk of being passed over when “dashing menbots” are available to spoil women.

While it might be easy to assume that sex robots are something that would be primarily favoured by men, Dr O’Neil points out that women also have sexual desires and are just as capable of “crude objectification” as their male counterparts.

Writing for Bloomberg, the mathematician said it is “entirely possible” that robots could be favoured by future women over real men.

Dr O’Neil thinks that future women will replace real men with ‘dashing menbots’

“Perhaps it’s time for a Big Think. Are women not as capable as men of crude objectification? There’s room here for everyone’s impure thoughts and desires. Robots don’t discriminate, and they can probably give good massages,” she wrote.

“I do think women could get spoiled by dashing menbots. Their standards might go up. They might even be lost to the dating pool altogether.”

Dr O’Neil did concede that the robots do pose potential dangers as technology continues to advance, such as the possibility of hackers reprogramming them to kill.

But she goes on to say that the reward far outweighs the risk.

“The statistician in me can’t help asking: Would that make them more of a threat than actual men? Given the baseline murder rate for human sexual partners, it’s hard to get too worried,” she said.

“Plus, if they can understand female anatomy — I mean, really understand it — maybe it’s worth the risk.”

Male versions of sex robots, such as the life-size robotic girlfriend, Roxxxy, might replace men altogether. Picture: Robyn Beck/AFP

She clarifies that she doesn’t wish to live in a world without men, but suggests that the introduction of robots could remove the need for men and woman to live together.

“Just to be clear: I’m not saying we should want to live in a militant feminist world without men. Far from it — I am suggesting that women and men can coexist, but possibly not cohabitate,” she said.

“Who knows? If our sexual needs can be met by intimate automated helpers, maybe we’ll end up stronger as a community.”

The creation of more advanced sex robots is a polarising subject, with some staunchly against the idea and others working to push the boundaries of this up-and-coming technology.

Sex robot inventor Sergi Santos believes it is only a matter of time before human and robot marriage becomes commonplace in our society.

He has even hatched a plan for how he can have a baby with his mechanical creation, Samantha, an idea that has raised more than a few eyebrows.

“People might look at Samantha as a weird thing you read about. But before they know it, these robots will be doing their jobs, and marrying their children, their grandchildren and their friends,” he said.

“I can make them have a baby. It’s not so difficult. I would love to have a child with a robot.”