Forecast: Sex and Marriage with Robots by 2050

I found this article quite interesting. What do you think will happen in 43 years time?

Humans could marry robots within the century. And consummate those vows.

"My forecast is that around 2050, the state of Massachusetts will be the first jurisdiction to legalize marriages with robots," artificial intelligence researcher David Levy at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands told LiveScience. Levy recently completed his Ph.D. work on the subject of human-robot relationships, covering many of the privileges and practices that generally come with marriage as well as outside of it.

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[edit on 13-10-2007 by Arawn]

[edit on 14-10-2007 by UM_Gazz]

Woah...

That's crazy...and how would the person have sex with a robot? Would it have artificial sex organs too?

I'm curious as to the recent fascination with human-robot copulation. Marriage was originally (and primarily) presented as a religious bond. Over time, it evolved into a romantic relationship, with emphasis placed on 'falling in love'. In more recent times, people have grown disillusioned with the concept of romance (or perhaps it's just the peers I interact with). With divorces on the rise, those who take the bond seriously declare it to be a symbiotic partnership, where each participant supports the other physically and, more importantly, emotionally.

Or at least, that's what we want to believe. Don't know; although I've known married couples, I've never been married and I don't plan to be.

Still, the recent emphasis on 'humans marry robots by 20X6' seems to focus on the consummation that follows immediately afterwards. Sex toys are nothing new; unless a new 'emotional' robot is in the works, these 'new and exciting' developments will amount to no more than adults getting married to ... well, I mentioned sex toys above. I will refrain from getting any cruder.

Hmmm, yes, this could be interesting. Programming a woman-bot to be exactly how you want. The perfect companion? This will be very interesting to see in the future. Remember the movie A.I. or Blade Runner? If they could become THAT human-like, I can definitely see a huge fad going towards human-robot relationships.

oh i can see how this is going to go...

Robot wife:
"why dont you help me with cleaning around the house?"

Me:
"umm your a robot...get me a beer"

Originally posted by bigbert81
Hmmm, yes, this could be interesting. Programming a woman-bot to be exactly how you want. The perfect companion? This will be very interesting to see in the future. Remember the movie A.I. or Blade Runner? If they could become THAT human-like, I can definitely see a huge fad going towards human-robot relationships.

Yes, with the ever growing stress in todays society, I can see the ease of use of a robot making people happy as weird as that sounds. You could programme your girlfriend to do whatever you wanted and mute her when she starts whining

But seriously, with the amount of men who like gadgets and the ever increased use of computers and technology, I believe it's only a matter of time before robots become more and more life like with 'human like' emotions.

Oh and it will probably be first made in Japan!

reply to post by Arawn


They would be the perfect way for some people to live out their fantasies, or for lonely people to have companionship.

Could be an ideal wife...

Whoa!!! I'd better calm myself, this might not happen for another 50 years!

[edit on 14-10-2007 by bigbert81]

Originally posted by bigbert81
They would be the perfect way for some people to live out their fantasies, or for lonely people to have companionship.

Exactly mate, I know a few people who are disabled and who play online games for the company and friendship as they are mostly house bound in wheel chairs.

The same could be said for lonely people etc as you pointed out. Where there's a will, there's a way. It will happen I'm sure one day, hopefully as I'm still alive as I'd like to see where technology is going. You look back 20 years roughly and people were still messing around with Ataris. Now we are mostly all on the internet and play Xbox 360's. You know what I'm trying to explain here.

Why would someone want to form a binding contract with a machine? You'd own the machine, though society may decide to give the robot some rights.

Maybe they just meant 'form a relationship similar to romance' with a cybernetic life form?

A more interesting question is by what date would we be able to craft robots that are nearly indistinguishable (at least on the surface) to humans.

Did anyone see this gem?

BBC: Real Dolls.

Rather than titillate, it's really quite pathetic. I suspect that human-robot relationships have a lot further to go than just 2050 before something acceptable to most people would be available as a surrogate.

Edit: Oops, I just noticed this link. (Caution: do not be drinking coffee, or similar beverages when you view this)





[edit on 14-10-2007 by Badge01]

Perfect timing as I will be an old salt by then and to have a 23 year old robot for companionship would be nice.

On a very personal (and slightly sarcastic) note, I think this is certainly a bright idea.

Who needs population control in the form of cruel genocides, cataclysmic natural disasters, and -- as was suggested in another thread on this site -- porn? Roll the effectiveness of these powerful Population Decimators(TM) into an attractive package with large, artificial mammary glands -- or fully customizable phalluses (soon available in red, green, and blue). Eliminate the threat of the human race spreading into space by presenting them with artificial constructs to satisfy their every whim. End racism and prejudice by ending races and tribes.

Soon, no one will procreate -- or remember how. Humans will die out. AND THE WORLD WILL BE MINE!

Sure, it could take at least 150 years -- but I am a patient man.

That's crazy!!!
Why would people marry robots? They don't even have true feelings. Humans have organs and blood and stuff like that, while robots have computer chips and wires.

Even if you kiss a robot, you'd get electricuted. Robots might be able to buy at stores in 47 years, but definitely shouldn't get married with humans then.

reply to post by last_resort

Even if you kiss a robot, you'd get (sic)electricuted.

Nonsense. You can kiss the TV which is probably drawing a lot more power than a robot on a battery with no ill effect. Er...not that I've made a habit of it.

Exactly, you're only electrocuted when your exposed to the current and not 'grounded.'

reply to post by last_resort

That's crazy!!!
Why would people marry robots? They don't even have true feelings. Humans have organs and blood and stuff like that, while robots have computer chips and wires

I don't think it's really about the whole "marriage" thing, even though I'm sure some people would, hell, some people marry animals. I think it's more of a companionship/sexual pleasure type of thing.

Brings a whole new meaning to booting up the system. What if it's built with a Windows operating system and every time it crashes it can't...ummm...remember your...ummm...favorites.

Can you use it in the car pool lane?

Whats to keep a hacker from buying one, re-programming it and having it rob a bank? That would actually be a good book. Who volunteers to write it?

Is it adjustable? What if one day you feel like a C cup and the next you feel like double D's? Do you get out a bicycle pump and plug it in and pump until your happy? (no pun intended)

Can you order programs so that your love bot has certain..ummm...kinks? Can you buy personalities? Sometimes it's completely submissive and you pull its chip, plug in another and suddenly have a dominatrix?

This could actually be allot of fun. I wouldn't marry it but I'd sure push it to it's limits

I sure hope they arrive in my lifetime, but I doubt it.

I remember a twilight zone episodes "The Lonely"

A guy sentenced to solitary confinement on an asteroid, is brought a robot to keep him company. The robot in true AI fashion shows great emotion, feelings and love.

When he is pardoned, the man with the robot wife does not want to leave his robot mate, the captain of the transport ship shoots the robot and they leave. Terrible ending.

I think the ending should have been he stands by the AI love, and then as the captain blast off leaving them behind, the captain looks out the window and sees two or three children run out from behind the house showing that the love alone made her real.

(exit on twilight zone music)

This is one episode I have always wanted to rewrite.

hell yeah!!! if thye look anything like the major in the ghost in the shell series then I say hello android human. you are superior to me and gorgeous t the same time may I please do a lot of really nice things to you hopefully with various linguistical body parts I can't get into detail here so that you will never want to leave me or my linguistic abilities. I'd know how to get rid of her after work stress android or not.

I remember one Outer Limits episode. The actress that played the android, she was a brunette in a white jump suit, man she was smokin hot.

exactly redge. smoking hot female androids. I'm all about it. Especially if they are self soverign like the chick from the ghost in the shell series. They always have great bodies too.

In the future I would have my fridge stocked with 10w-40 for her just incase you get lucky at the bar or something and bring miss perfect home.

I bet she's also programed to cook one hell of a breakfast in the morning.