If you are between 20 and 30 years old, you probably watch pornography. Millennials and Generation Z are watch more pornography than any other age group and are equally more likely than any other demographic to experience AI pornography.
As technology advances, AI-generated tools and techniques become more sophisticated and accessible. This can lead to unethical content, including deepfakes, videos in which a person’s face is replaced with the image of another person, without their consent. Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) recently faced a scandal when it was flooded with deepfakes of Taylor Swift.
But what about other types of AI porn? How can consuming it affect you and how can you ensure you consume it ethically? I’m a sex and relationship therapist, so I’m interested in helping clients with a variety of sexual issues, including issues with porn consumption. I’m also curious about how AI could be used in a positive way to create pornography that is not only ethical, but both educational and sexy.
This article is part of Quarter Life, a series about issues affecting those of us in our 20s and 30s. From the challenges of starting a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet, or simply making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore questions and provide answers as we navigate this turbulent time in life.
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The impact of watching AI porn
Although it’s completely normal to be curious about sex, watching a lot of pornography can affect your sexual satisfaction – and AI porn is no different. You might, for example, start comparing your partner to the hyper-realistic, yet incredibly perfect, digitally generated actors of AI porn.
Already, research suggests that men who frequently watch porn online may suffer from erectile dysfunction. This could be due to pornography’s idealized and unrealistic depictions compared to real-life sexual encounters. AI pornography would likely only exacerbate this phenomenon, with AI porn avatars capable of participating in sexual acts that would not be possible, or as accessible, for real people.
TORWAISTUDIO/Shutterstock
Among women who watch porn, opinions vary. Some women have note positive changes, including a reduction in shame associated with sexual pleasure. But others expressed reservations about beauty standards in pornography, finding them inaccessible.
This position is very shared by anti-porn activists, who claim that pornography degrades and objectifies women. They believe it fuels ideas of male supremacy, potentially leading to violence against women.
Regulating AI pornography
The roles assigned to women in mainstream pornography often depict a different power imbalance than, for example, male gay porn. For this article, I spoke to porn actor John Thomas. He argued that gay male porn was somewhat more ethical than traditional heterosexual porn (designed for men’s consumption). “Both roles in a gay scene might be appreciated by the viewer, rather than the pure objectification of the woman in a straight scene.”
One of the many concerns with unregulated AI-generated pornography is that it can distort the viewer’s sense of reality, leading to misinformation, unrealistic expectations about sex, and potential harm . However, given that the moral landscape surrounding ethical AI pornography constitutes a gray area, we are being pushed into uncharted territory. As new technologies emerge, new challenges arise.
Make sure responsible innovation within the adult entertainment industry, it is essential to be aware of the continued evolution of AI the integration in our daily lives. For example, risks could be mitigated by training AI systems to recognize deepfakes, violence or child pornography.
For those in the adult entertainment industry working before AI, consent has always been key. I asked John Thomas about industry best practices:
When I work for a porn studio (as a freelancer), I sign a contract which usually includes clauses relating to the rights to my image – usually I sign to give the studio the right to use and modify my image (to from the photos). or created video) and distribute it. AI is not specified in any contract I signed.
But as AI pornography is expected to become more common, the subject of consent becomes more ambiguous. As John Thomas adds: “I think one could interpret the contract to include AI…the contracts are written in such a broad way that, after you give up the rights to your image and consent to your image is modified, this could (hypothetically be) used in AI).
How to be an ethical porn consumer
Just like there are fair trade brands known for their ethical practices in producing coffee and clothing, there should be a safe space for consumers to explore their sexuality and fantasies.
As a porn viewer, you can be more ethical in your consumption by becoming porn connoisseurenhancing your understanding of realistic sexual expectations, gender identities, sexual orientations, relationship styles, kinks, and ethical BDSM practices.
Lomb/Shutterstock
And if you decide you want to watch AI porn and want minimize the risk of consuming unethical content, here are some tips to help you improve your pornography skills:
• consider joining online communities where discussions about “feminist porn” and sexualized content is open and encouraged
• If you’re a fan of a particular porn actor, consider following them on social media. This will provide you with insight into their performance activities and their preferred ways to access their content.
• When visiting porn sites, take a moment to assess whether they are known for their ethical production practices. A few established sites are known for their commitment to ethical pornography. Typically, the ethical focus will be on aspects such as production standards, consent, representation of diverse body types, genders and races, representation of safe sex practices and prioritizing the pleasure of all people involved.
• Keep in mind the difference between fantasies and real-life sexual encounters when watching porn. Remember that what you see online may not translate in real life.
• closely monitor your porn consumption. If you feel like it’s becoming overwhelming or impacting your daily life or sexual experiences, don’t be ashamed. Seek help from a professional, such as a sex therapist.
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