China’s adult toy industry is rapidly integrating artificial intelligence, with companies unveiling increasingly sophisticated products at a recent Shanghai expo.
At a major adult products exhibition in Shanghai, firms showcased a new wave of AI-powered devices designed to enhance user experience through personalisation and interactivity.
As the world’s largest producer of sex toys, China is merging manufacturing scale with advanced technology, reflecting wider AI adoption across industries.
Among the standout products was the Luvmazer app, developed by a Guangzhou-based firm, which links virtual conversations to physical sensations, according to Bangkok Post.
The platform lets users interact with AI-generated “partners,” converting dialogue into synchronised device responses. “One sentence can make you shiver,” the banners read.
Another exhibit from Cydoll featured a life-sized futuristic silicone doll designed to mimic human-like expressions and speech.
A company representative said: “People nowadays don’t go out to drink or meet their friends, and they might prefer to play games on their phones or computers on their own… but they still need companionship,” Zhou told AFP.
Several firms also demonstrated advances in video-synced technology, where AI analyses visual content and converts it into motion patterns in devices.
Once a niche feature, it is now becoming standard across the industry. “Everyone has the video syncing feature now,” an employee at teledildonics firm Amorlink told AFP.
Other innovations include long-distance remote-controlled devices and products that adjust performance based on environmental factors such as sound levels, including a virtual “boyfriend” persona, and the ability to match frequency and intensity to ambient noise.
Beyond consumer products, AI is also being used in marketing, customer service, and retail operations.
Tech providers are meanwhile offering tools to help brands develop their own “smart” devices, accelerating industry transformation.
But rapid adoption has raised legal and ethical concerns, particularly around image and video generation tools, including face-swapping technology.
While companies say usage terms prohibit misuse, questions remain over enforcement and consent.
These concerns are heightened in China, where pornography is banned, and access to adult content is tightly restricted.
Companies say they are proceeding cautiously when integrating AI with multimedia features. “We have to be very careful, or there could be all sorts of problems, and we could get reported by consumers,” Xie told AFP.