AI sex dolls are here, is this the future of love?

In the 2013 sci-fi movie Her, a lonely man falls in love with an AI voice assistant, and in Ex Machina (2014), a man develops a bond with a highly intelligent robot. A decade later, that fiction is getting a lot more physical.

China's top sex doll manufacturer, WMdoll, is integrating AI models like ChatGPT and Llama into its products, turning silicone figures into interactive partners that talk, remember conversations, and even offer words of encouragement.

Gone are the days of lifeless dolls - these AI-powered companions are designed for long-term emotional and physical intimacy.

With China's single population surpassing 240 million, the demand for AI-driven relationships is skyrocketing. And for companies like WMdoll, the future isn't just sex - it's connection.

Founded in 2010 by Liu Jiangxia and Wang Qingfeng in Zhongshan, South China's Guangdong, the company initially produced clothing mannequins before shifting to adult dolls.

The company's new focus on AI-integrated companion dolls has garnered positive feedback from users, Liu told Jiemian.com.

One of their key products, the "MetaBox" series, is designed to provide emotional companionship.

These dolls feature eight selectable personalities and boast the ability to carry on conversations across multiple days, incorporating long-term memory.

This technological leap has positioned WMdoll to expect a 30 percent increase in sales this year, according to the South China Morning Post.

AI models bring emotional connection

The idea of AI-powered sex dolls is not entirely new.

In fact, British futurist Dr. Ian Pearson predicted in 2015 that robots could replace human sexual partners by 2050.

Early pioneers in this area included US-based Realbotix, which launched the world's first female AI sex robot, Harmony, in 2017, followed by its male counterpart, Henry, in 2018.

These products sparked both fascination and controversy in equal measure.

Liu explained that earlier adult dolls had basic features like blinking and posture adjustments but lacked intelligence.

"With AI models like Llama, DeepSeek, and ChatGPT, both robots and dolls now offer long-term memory, personalized feedback, and physiological data interaction," Liu said.

"The key transformation has been emotional companionship. Now, the models can understand, analyze, and respond in meaningful ways."

The integration of open-source models, such as Llama, enables the dolls to engage in more personalized interactions.

The company's MetaBox product connects dolls to cloud services, allowing them to sustain interactions with users using different personalities, voices, and tones. For example, when you ask:

"Do you remember my name?"

The doll would respond with:

"Of course, your name is unforgettable. What's on your mind tonight?"

In a bid to make their technology more accessible, WMdoll is set to release the second generation of MetaBox as wearable devices like necklaces, bracelets, and rings, which are scheduled for launch in March.

This innovation will make the MetaBox compatible with all types of adult dolls, even those without large model capabilities.

Capitalizing on the loneliness economy

This technological leap is transforming the adult product market, which has traditionally focused on features like silicone texture.

Companies are now competing based on the emotional value their products offer.

An official with WMdoll known as Max told business news portal lanjinger.com that modern products should not only satisfy physical needs but also offer meaningful companionship.

This shift in focus has prompted other companies, such as Realbotix in the US, to expand the emotional capacities of humanoid robots. By incorporating open-source robots like Aria and Melody, they aim to target industries such as entertainment, healthcare, and education, moving beyond the narrow "sex robot" stereotype.

Shenzhen's Starpery Technology, another player in the market, has also begun integrating large AI models into its robots, allowing them to learn user preferences and adjust interactions accordingly.

The growing interest in "companion robots" has caught the eye of investors.

Stocks in companies like Zhejiang Zhongcheng and Silicon Bao Technology have surged in recent weeks, fueled by the rising demand for emotionally intelligent robots.

Analysts believe that the "singles' market" and "loneliness economy" are the primary drivers of this trend.

Investors envision these robots playing vital roles in an aging society, offering emotional support to elderly individuals and assisting with health monitoring.

Additionally, they foresee robots becoming part of family life, taking on responsibilities such as household chores, tutoring children, and even providing entertainment.

Some humorously speculate that these AI companions might tailor their responses to emotional cues, adjusting romantic messages based on electrocardiogram readings or suggesting a pause in "intimate mode" during late-night work.

Many men are already turning to AI girlfriends to sidestep traditional relationships' risks, with some humorously noting that AI companions "don't throw tantrums" and are "always considerate".

As one 30-something programmer, quoted by Cjgshui (財經(jīng)故事薈), put it: "Honestly, I'd rather give a doll a dowry than support a partner back home".

However, this convenience comes at a cost. Users must pay a US$100 subscription fee for the AI interaction features, with additional top-ups required for ongoing use.

This subscription model mirrors the mobile phone industry's business model, helping companies lock in customers for long-term revenue.

"We initially offered 100 free voice boxes in overseas markets, and the response was overwhelming," Liu said. "Later, we began charging for 'chat fees,' which helps us build a steady stream of income."

Long way to a real 'robot girlfriend'

Despite these advancements, an AI doll that can talk is still far from resembling a real-life "robot girlfriend".

WMdoll's dolls, for instance, lack visual features. Users cannot control the doll's facial expressions or body movements via voice commands.

The only interactivity is the embedded voice box, which means the doll's face and mouth remain static when comforting or complimenting a user.

"There is still a significant gap between these dolls and the fully realized 'cyber girlfriend' many imagine," said Liu Ding, sales director at WMdoll. "We need to focus on bipedal robot technology first before pursuing full humanoid designs."

While WMdoll has engaged with several robotics firms, Liu acknowledged that bipedal robots are still dealing with challenges related to control, stability, and perception, making it difficult for adult dolls to gain autonomous walking abilities.

Automation remains another barrier to scaling.

Currently, WMdoll's production is largely manual, requiring about three days to produce a single doll.

However, the company is working on incorporating AI-driven 3D modeling into their production line, which can reduce modeling time to just one day.

Additionally, they are implementing automated spraying for the painting process, with plans to launch this feature by May.

For now, WMdoll is betting on its AI dolls filling an emotional void. As societal attitudes around relationships evolve, these AI-powered partners may redefine companionship - no longer just a means of physical pleasure, but a source of emotional comfort, personalized care, and connection.

As the lines between technology and human emotion blur, one question remains: Are we truly ready for AI-driven love?