来源:MIT Technology Review
The power of pornography lies not in arousing desire, but in the problems it causes. What is Indecency? What is ethical or safe?
Whether or not we watch or support pornography, the existence of pornography still requires us to respond. Now, the question becomes: what is real pornography?
The anti-pornography movement was central to the culture wars in United States for decades, but by the beginning of the 21st century, the debate about it had subsided. The proliferation of smartphones has made the spread of pornography too convenient and almost uncontrollable. Pornography is inextricably linked to freedom of expression and technological developments, and has become a complex social issue. Eventually, a restless consensus was formed: as long as the images were made by voluntary adults and hidden behind paywalls and age-verification systems, there would be no interference.
However, as AI-generated pornography gradually permeates everyday life, from dinner table discussions to parent-teacher conferences and even in court, this consensus may struggle to sustain. This issue has re-entered the public eye. Project 2025, supported by the Heritage Foundation, is planned to be rolled out in a future Republican administration to criminalize pornography and arrest its creators.
But what if is fully algorithmically generated? At this point, issues of indecency, morality, or safety instead become secondary. The key question becomes: what counts as "real" pornography? And how do we respond?
As a filmmaker in the adult entertainment industry, I've seen firsthand the major changes within the industry: the transition from tape to digital, the rollout of new HIV prevention measures, and the impact of free streaming and social media on the industry. The industry has historically relied on lust, greed, and fantasy to survive, and has relied on performances and drugs to survive. Despite its variety of forms and mediums, the only constant is the chaotic and complex humanity within—until now.
When AI-generated pornography first appeared, many saw it as a little trick, and the early images weren't worth mentioning because they were funny and weird — cheerleaders, for example, had seven fingers and a glazed gaze. However, almost overnight, the image quality skyrocketed to a level of realism. While synthetic erotic content like anime and CGI has been around for decades, I've never seen so realistic. These images are not only erotic creations, but also the condensed essence of them—the product of a machine trained on millions of pornographic images. Sexy girls, straight celebrities in same-sex situations, and even women streaking around in supermarkets – these images are no longer confined to the shadows of the internet, but are poignantly appearing on social media. They raise new questions about consent and privacy. These new images are quietly changing us.
In September 2023, a crisis erupted in the small town of Almendralejo in Spain. When 20 girls started school, they found nude photos circulating in the school that they had never taken. The boys used an AI-powered "nude" app to generate these nudes for just a few euros and a yearbook photo. The girls were bullied, blackmailed, and many experienced panic attacks and depressive symptoms, with the youngest girl as young as 11 years old. In the face of this sudden technology, schools and parents are helpless. These tools are emerging much faster than the process of social dialogue, regardless of who the victim is. By the end of that school year, similar incidents had spread to Australia, Quebec, London and Mexico. Subsequently, AI-generated nude photos of Taylor Swift circulated around social media. If even she can't stop this, how can a 15-year-old girl in Michigan cope?
The technological development behind the industry has never slowed down because of controversy. This fall, as students return to school, AI video engines like Sora and Runway 3 will also be in the spotlight, capable of generating photorealistic videos based on text prompts and photos. If static images have caused global chaos, imagine the impact of the video, and where will it go?
As pornography becomes more personalized, users can now customize their ideal scene as if they were ordering food: choose male, female, or transgender characters, ranging in age from 18 to 90, details such as chest or penis size, sun marks, underwear color, etc.; Even the background can be a supermarket, a church, the Eiffel Tower, or even Stonehenge; Even the weather can be chosen, such as a tornado. It may all be just a permutation of numbers, but AI is not bound by binary thinking and does not have any aesthetic standards. It can take on those overlooked physical forms, such as mature, transgender, and disabled. Highly customized will no longer require live actors – just the answer to the question: "What exactly do I like?" "While Hollywood was still debating the ethics of AI, artificially produced movies were a reality. Celebrities may even increase their popularity by promoting their synthetic sex tapes on late-night talk shows.
Advances in AI pornography may also alter our memories. AI is already being used to extend home footage and even turn old photos into dynamic scenes. So, what happens when we apply this technique to sex? Early sexual memories often leave a lasting impression on our minds: the skin of first love, the lost lover, the stranger on the bus. The power of these erotic memories comes from the specific details: a strand of hair, underwear of a specific color, the sun shining on wet lips, or the red gym shorts of a gym teacher. These memories happen to be perfect as AI prompt words.
Pornography and real-life sex are a cyclical process. If people get used to getting everything they want from erotic media, it's likely to further change their expectations of intimacy in reality. If both parties have already seen each other's idealized nudes on their first date, the awkwardness of meeting will be more complicated.
As the lines continue to blur, we may see the emergence of "moral pornography". The studios of the future may not involve live actors at all, do not require a set or filming process, and everything is generated by AI. This may be extremely appealing to some viewers, as they can be sure that the virtual cast is neither a minor nor trafficked or drugged.
This trend was budding back in the 90s. CD-ROM (Read-Only Disc) games, life-size silicone dolls, and interactive sex websites have introduced the concept of "interactive" to adult entertainment. 30 years later, AI chat partners and cheaper, realistic sex dolls are becoming more and more commonplace. The industry has historically tended to merge all the technologies with the aim of achieving complete erotic immersion. The realism of AI models has pushed the limits of the "uncanny valley" effect. Soon, these avatars will be powered by chatbots and will exist in the world of virtual reality with 3D prosthetics. Next, maybe it's the legendary sex robot.
So, what happens when we completely remove the "humanity" from sex? The definition of pornography is always closely related to the needs of its time. Our time is undoubtedly one of loneliness. The pandemic has made us more accustomed to digitizing our most intimate moments, from video phone calls to hospital visits, to online weddings, all of which have taken a toll on our social energy. Adult entertainment may fill this gap. AI-generated pornography may be just a manifestation of this new culture of synthetic sexuality, rather than its roots. In the not-too-distant future, perhaps because of its "artificial" nature, AI will be a source of excitement rather than resistance.
Leo Herrera is a writer and artist. He writes on the Substack platform's Herrera Words article on how technology intersects with sex and culture.
Original link:
https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/08/26/1096526/ai-sex-relationships-porn/