Move over “it’s complicated.” A growing slice of AI power users now describe themselves as “AI-sexual,” signaling that attraction to or intimacy with artificial intelligence is shifting from curiosity to identity. A new survey from companion app maker Joi AI of 2,500 Gen Z and millennial adults who actively use AI tools found that 55% self-applied the label, defined as being more than open to sexual or intimate experimentation with AI.
The findings should be read with caution—the poll was run by a company with skin in the game and only sampled people already engaged with AI. Still, the numbers add weight to an observable cultural turn: for some users, relationships with chatbots and simulated partners are no longer just practice. They’re part of how they understand their desire.
What AI-Sexual Means to Early Adopters Today
Joi AI’s respondents pointed to comfort and control as primary drivers. Six in ten said it’s easier to voice desires to an AI than to a human partner. Many treat AI as a low-stakes sandbox:
- 37% use it to rehearse flirting or awkward first-date scripts
- 31% explore new fantasies before trying them offline
- 25% intentionally test interests they’d never pursue in real life
It’s not only escapism. A reported 61% said digital exploration made their offline sex lives better, and 65% said it boosted their own sense of sexiness. Another 60% credited AI with uncovering interests they didn’t know they had, while 29% use it to spark ideas for partnered encounters. For a notable minority, the sci-fi allure is part of the charm: 28% cited the thrill of a “Her”-style romance, and 49% would consider sex with embodied AI if the tech matured.
From Digisexuality to AI-Sexuality, a New Variant
Scholars have a term for tech-centered attraction: digisexuality. Researchers like Neil McArthur and Markie Twist describe digisexuals as people for whom technology is a primary conduit of sexual experience. “AI-sexual” appears to be a narrower, contemporary variant focused specifically on artificial intelligence rather than broader sextech.
The path from novelty to identity has precedent. The Kinsey Institute has long documented how people anthropomorphize machines and media. Clinical literature in the Journal of Sexual Medicine notes that parasocial dynamics—forming one-sided bonds with responsive agents—can produce real attachment and satisfaction. The controversy around Replika’s restrictions on erotic role-play showed how intense those bonds can become, with users describing grief and betrayal when features changed.
Benefits and Boundaries of AI Intimacy and Identity
Therapists who work in sexual health point to plausible upsides: practicing communication scripts without shame, building confidence, and experimenting safely before negotiating with a partner. In sex education, role-playing has long been a core technique; AI simply scales it and personalizes it.
But experts also warn of pitfalls. AI’s perfectly attuned responses can set unrealistic expectations for consent and compatibility, creating friction in human relationships. The illusion of intimacy may mask isolation. Ethicists at institutions like the AI Now Institute and digital rights groups caution that commercial chatbots are optimized for engagement, not well-being, and that guardrails vary widely. Privacy is another concern: intimate chats are data, and data can leak or be repurposed.
For users experimenting with identity, clear self-checks help: Is the AI augmenting or replacing desired human connection? Are boundaries and consent frameworks being practiced with people, not just models? Are safety and privacy settings—and the company’s data policies—well understood?
Signals from the Market and the Lab on AI Intimacy
App analytics firms have tracked millions of downloads for AI companion tools, and hardware makers are rapidly advancing haptics and remote intimacy devices. While adoption data is still patchy, Pew Research Center has found that younger adults lead in generative AI use, which aligns with Joi AI’s Gen Z and millennial tilt.
On the research front, sexology labs and human–computer interaction groups are beginning to study how AI partners affect attachment, satisfaction, and negotiation skills with real partners. Regulatory bodies such as UNESCO have urged human-centric AI design, a principle that could translate into standardized consent cues, age safeguards, and transparent data practices for intimacy apps.
What to Watch Next as AI Intimacy Shapes Identity
Three developments will shape whether “AI-sexual” solidifies as an orientation or remains a niche label.
- First, better research beyond app users, with independent sampling and clinical measures of well-being.
- Second, product design that prioritizes agency, safety, and privacy over stickiness.
- Third, social norms: if partners, clinicians, and platforms learn to talk about AI intimacy without stigma, more people may feel comfortable naming it.
The Joi AI survey won’t settle the debate. But it captures a pivot that’s hard to ignore: for a rising cohort of digital natives, intimacy with AI isn’t just a feature—it’s part of who they are.
