You knew plastic sex dolls couldn’t last in the onslaught of technological progress. After all, they’re nothing but windbags. Now sex robots, that’s in the ‘something else’ category. Of course this massive innovation shows up (where else) in Las Vegas during the time of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Actually it showed up at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo, just down the street from CES. (Thus it has been for decades. Sex sells, but it ain’t official.)

This is no regular dumb robot, my friend: Roxxxy (clever!) is an AI robot. That’s Artificial Intelligence in a robot. Is there any other kind?

Now why would your average male with some seven to nine thousand U.S. Dollars to burn want a ‘female companion substitute’ or ‘robotic girlfriend’ to have intelligence? (Parenthetically, if and when the adult entertainment business produces a robot for the ladies, Rexxx, of course, will naturally lack all intelligence.) Well, it turns out that it’s not intelligence so much as one: the ability to demonstrate different personalities, and two: be a good listener and respond minimally but appropriately. (The content of that language will not be revealed here.)

The term robot is used loosely, very loosely. While the Roxxxy’s frame is life-sized, weighs 120lbs, covered with the finest skin-touch plastic, and anatomically correct, this is not one of the Japanese robots that bumbles up and down stairs. In fact, this ‘robot’ doesn’t move much at all. There is a skeleton with articulated joints and a heart of sorts, which are capable of some movement, I guess. What’s really supposed to sell is movement in three strategic input locations. I believe the functionality is characterized by, ‘Business is really shakin’ at the orifice!’

So there’s very little in the way of robotic technology to Roxxxy. Ah, none actually. She’s got more in common with the plastic sex dolls than a robot. Perhaps the built-in vibration devices are more sophisticated. You do get something for your money, no? Of course, you do. Roxxxy does have digital processing. There are cables running from Roxxxy’s back to a laptop computer. (A new way to enjoy a tether?) Did I mention that Roxxxy has a website…guys can swap Roxxxy stories and describe the various personalities she can ‘perform.’

Roxxxy was invented by a supposedly real, live artificial intelligence engineer (a.k.a. AI programmer). No doubt that explains the insistence on intelligence.

It’s easy to laugh at Roxxxy, but it should be mentioned that the adult entertainment biz usually grabs the latest in technology, gives it sizzle, and makes it pay. If it isn’t Roxxxy, then one of her descendants will become the true robotic sex partner. It will happen, my friends, sooner than you may think. What happens when the artificial sex-partner experience begins to approach the real experience? It won’t be science fiction for long.