China developing 'next gen' AI-powered sex dolls with focus on 'emotional connection'

A sex doll company in China is building a new fleet of dolls using special sensors and AI technology so that they can form real emotional bonds with their owners

Sophie Clark

16:56, 22 Jun 2024

[A hyper-realistic doll in a green dress]

One of Starpery Tech's hyper-realistic dolls(Image: starperydollofficial/Instagram)

AI technology has been applied to the 'next generation' of sex dolls being sold in China to make them more interactive and realistic, with a focus on 'emotional connection.'

The dolls, which are being made by Starpery Technology in Shenzhen, China, are set to hit shelves soon in the face of technological, and ethical, questions.

"We are developing a next-generation sex doll that can interact vocally and physically with users, with prototypes expected by August this year," said CEO Evan Lee, quoted in the Bangkok Times early this month.

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He said the technology already exists to make dolls speak with simple dialogue, but Starpery Technology has been working on forming complex interactive responses between the dolls and their owners. This technology involves adding sensors and AI models into the dolls so that people who purchase them can form more of an emotional connection.

[An AI sex doll in a black dress]

An image of an AI-powered doll by Starpery Tech(Image: starperydollofficial/Instagram)

China currently has the largest market for sex dolls, with their sales surpassing sales in the US, Japan and Germany combined.

The dolls are sold as male and female. Despite the male-to-female ratio in China shrinking, there are still significantly more men than women across generations. Among zero to four year olds, there are 110 boys to 100 girls, but among 15 to 19-year-olds there are 115 boys to 100 girls. There is a gap between the genders at all ages.

Lee says his plans for the dolls do not just involve creating sex dolls, but to create a whole host of dolls which could help around the house, and aid people in a number of ways.

[A sex doll in a white dress]

Another one of Starpery Tech's dolls, featured on their Instagram page (Image: starperydollofficial/Instagram)

Starpery Technology is working on smart service robots that can assist people with disabilities, do household chores, and provide elder care.

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China has one of the largest ageing populations in the world, Chinas over 60s population is projected to reach 28% by 2040, so any solution for help with elder care - whether from robots or other social measures - will likely be appreciated.

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