Kate Devlin: The Rise of Sex Robots

Are we going to be swiping right on robots?

The porn industry is worth billions and its exponential growth – due to the proliferation of high-speed internet and a healthy dose of Viagra – shows no sign of slowing down. There is a race to develop realistic sexbots, who emerge from their packaging complete with perfectly warm silicone skin, and it’s only a matter of time before these robots are opening our doors and climbing into our beds.

How will the advent of sexbots change our relationship to sex and our relationships with each other? Will we program our robots to say no? To feel love and jealousy?

Join computer scientist and sex robot expert Kate Devlin for an intimate discussion about how technological advancements in robotics will affect gender, politics, sexuality and surveillance.

People were worried that sex robots could lead to real-world violence again women, but in my research, I’ve never found any evidence.

Kate Devlin

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This talk was chaired by Rob Brooks, Professor of Evolution at UNSW Sydney and is part of the UNSW Grand Challenge on Living with 21st Century Technology.