The future of commercial sex; Future trends that will completely chance the sex industry

A recent study estimates that online porn, which comprises only a single aspect of the commercial sex industry, in 2010 was responsible for as much as 34% of all Internet traffic, which is quite an astonishing number to say the very least. The (commercial) sex industry added close to 14 billion dollar to the US economy, not even counting prostitution in. Commercial sex has a global reach that extends beyond every border. Developments in society and technology have set the commercial sex industry on a path to become more conventional and socially acceptable. 

Now that we know the importance of the sex industry in our society, let's have a look at at the future and highlight a few trends that will shape the next few decades of the commercial sex industry.

Expansion of the definition of sex

Realistic looking robotic sex
doll with remotely
controlled functionalities

Augmented reality substituted with developments in robotic engineering would allow innovative sex accessories to supplement traditional services and products. We can refer to 3 emerging areas of commercial: virtual sex worlds, remote sex and robot sex. For example, online sex workers will more and more link their actions to remote sex toys or robotic clone copies.Thus, these new developments could significantly reduce the risks of sexual violence and sexually transmitted diseases. On the other side, artificial intelligence technology could add increased levels of social interaction with  machines. As our non-sexual needs are increasingly fulfilled by robots, our sexual needs could as well follow the same trend. Furthermore, distinctions between virtual- and real sexual interactions will blur in the future. The availability of technology will create a larger demand for sex-products and services. A “sexond life” will re-position the meaning and execution of relationships, having sex, and being in love. Couples will need to seriously agree whether sex with robots is considered cheating, and policy makers will debate which measures need to be implemented with regards to all those new developments.

Technological innovations raising the intimacy level of commercial sex

Passive sex industry consumption will be largely replaced by enhanced sex intimacy in the future. Sex workers, porn and adult entertainment will integrate technology and merge together. A high level of personalizing will be accomplished by monitoring how a user acts in sexual and non-sexual spaces. According to a study by Jon Millward, the “girlfriend experience” - the sense that the client has a personal, ongoing emotional relationship with the sex worker - scores high above the “pornstar experience” in online escort advertisements and ratings. As technology progresses, sex workers could sell traditional sex as well as value-added services such as virtual relationships with levels of sociability that transcend machines. Sex-based technologies already largely cross with with the dating industry and long distance relationships use virtual technology to allow remote sex experiences. One startup company appropriately named Pillow Talk simulates the intimate experience of lying in bed with a partner by replicating a heartbeat in a large pillow. FakeGirlfriend invites male singles looking for female companionship to create a unique virtual girlfriend. Men using FakeGirlfriend receive computer-generated SMS's to let others think they are in a real relationship. Innovations like these are already creating new types of emotional- and sexual intimacy using technology, and are personal and individually customized. Sex workers will also take ideas from relationship innovations to enhance their own client interactions. For example, they offer their regulars a paid personalized video or SMS. These personalized tech-driven services will make consumers believe they are engaged in actual relationships instead of economic transactions with sex workers.

Commercial sex will converge with pop-tech

At the moment, the commercial sex industry is re-purposing mainstream tech ideas to make it sex oriented. Innovators within commercial sex are connecting current platforms to sex in real life. For example, Offbeatr is a crowd-funding platform for adult projects. Snatchly, is the porn version of Pinterest, a virtual pin board that allows  social sharing of sexual content. Both ideas were born because traditional platforms overall do not allow adult content. Popular technology (pop-tech) will adapt to accommodate sexual needs that are not currently being met. They will need to, because survival depends on what they can offer and what the user wants. In the near future, the line between mainstream and underground sex will blur to the point of non-existence. Personalizing technologies, artificial intelligence and privacy options will make it easier for users to apply pop-tech platforms to meet their sex needs. In fact, mainstream pop-tech will partner with sex-based services in order to create additional revenue streams. Rate-able and share-able online content available through popular technology will allow users to customize their own sex-based content. People will get increasingly enhanced user experiences and personal security at the same time. At the same time, they will be able to see and store all of their favorite material on one central place that's accessible from anywhere (cloud-computing).

Sex dependent on region

Although technology has created digital bridges all across the globe, sex based services will continue to be different in the developed- and developing regions. In developed areas, technology will move sex work off the streets and into entrepreneurial ventures. This will provide a safer and more stable work environment for sex professionals, who will be empowered by technology to take ownership of their careers by using collaborative networks and online promotion for personal marketing. Sex workers will use tools to position themselves as business-women. They will be able to personally connect with potential clients in a specific niche, instead of relying on a third party. By cutting middlemen and pimps out of the loop, the sex workers will make more money - and increase their own freedom and safety as well. Conversely, in developing regions, men will continue to travel abroad to leave traditional Western “female empowerment” behind. The inequities between the developed and developing world that fuel the dark side of global sex tourism are not likely to change so soon. According to the Commission on AIDS in Asia, men who buy sex are driving Asia’s HIV epidemic. As a result, Asia stands to be the first region in the world in which governments will get serious about regulating working conditions for sex workers; and international organizations will make AIDS and STD prevention in developing regions a priority.

Mainstream organizations will realize the economic value of commercial sex

Mainstream brands, governments and investment firms are aligning with commercial sex to not only attract consumer attention, as well as to create revenue. In 2011, PETA announced plans to launch an .xxx site to promote vegetarianism. In the past, the organization commissioned porn stars to film racy advertising segments about “Veggie Love." Actresses were filmed engaging in sex acts with vegetables, which has since become some sort of a fetish trend. Though the short was banned from the Super Bowl, the campaign went viral online. Recently, Sony partnered with Playboy’s Cybergirl Jo Garcia to launch its new PlayStation Vita, a handheld gaming device that can be used in conjunction with a PS 3 console. Sex specific investment firms like Ackrell Capital will continue to attract investors who want to reap the financial rewards associated with the commercial sex industry. The International Labor Organization reports that the sex industry accounts for 2% to 14% of economic activity in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. It also estimates commercial sex is worth 4.4% of Korean GDP -- which is more than forestry, fishing and agriculture combined. In the early 1990s, tax revenues from phone sex calls in San Tome increased so much that the government was able to construct a new telecommunication system with the funds. In addition, private and public organizations of all types will openly support or engage with the sex industry to increase revenue and get the public’s attention. 

In the future, the public face of the sex industry will transform radically. The traditional definition of sex will be redefined by not only technological innovation that expands the ability to create intimacy online, but also by popular technology platforms that will help users meet their sexual needs. Sex work will be dependent on region with developed nations accepting sex work into the mainstream, while developing nations will continue to accommodate the darker side of the industry. Traditional organizations will seek economic growth through commercial sex affiliations and governments will realize more tax revenue from it.

With or without mainstream support, the commercial sex industry will move ahead as an established and essential industry because of these technological and societal trends and as a result, sex work is already beginning to move out of the back alleys and onto Main Street. Views towards sex, specifically toward the sex industry, will be debated instead of ignored, stigmatized or generalized by the global masses. The implications of commercial sex will be considered alongside the complex web of faces and experiences associated with sex work.

Technology won’t replace sex workers; but it looks like it's leading to the creation of a new industry that augments our current experiences with sex, and could eventually take us to new and fantastic places where no human has gone before.

A recent study estimates that online porn, which comprises only a single aspect of the commercial sex industry, in 2010 was responsible for as much as 34% of all Internet traffic, which is quite an astonishing number to say the very least. The (commercial) sex industry added close to 14 billion dollar to the US economy, not even counting prostitution in. Commercial sex has a global reach that extends beyond every border. Developments in society and technology have set the commercial sex industry on a path to become more conventional and socially acceptable. 

Now that we know the importance of the sex industry in our society, let's have a look at at the future and highlight a few trends that will shape the next few decades of the commercial sex industry.

Expansion of the definition of sex

Realistic looking robotic sex
doll with remotely
controlled functionalities

Augmented reality substituted with developments in robotic engineering would allow innovative sex accessories to supplement traditional services and products. We can refer to 3 emerging areas of commercial: virtual sex worlds, remote sex and robot sex. For example, online sex workers will more and more link their actions to remote sex toys or robotic clone copies.Thus, these new developments could significantly reduce the risks of sexual violence and sexually transmitted diseases. On the other side, artificial intelligence technology could add increased levels of social interaction with  machines. As our non-sexual needs are increasingly fulfilled by robots, our sexual needs could as well follow the same trend. Furthermore, distinctions between virtual- and real sexual interactions will blur in the future. The availability of technology will create a larger demand for sex-products and services. A “sexond life” will re-position the meaning and execution of relationships, having sex, and being in love. Couples will need to seriously agree whether sex with robots is considered cheating, and policy makers will debate which measures need to be implemented with regards to all those new developments.

Technological innovations raising the intimacy level of commercial sex

Passive sex industry consumption will be largely replaced by enhanced sex intimacy in the future. Sex workers, porn and adult entertainment will integrate technology and merge together. A high level of personalizing will be accomplished by monitoring how a user acts in sexual and non-sexual spaces. According to a study by Jon Millward, the “girlfriend experience” - the sense that the client has a personal, ongoing emotional relationship with the sex worker - scores high above the “pornstar experience” in online escort advertisements and ratings. As technology progresses, sex workers could sell traditional sex as well as value-added services such as virtual relationships with levels of sociability that transcend machines. Sex-based technologies already largely cross with with the dating industry and long distance relationships use virtual technology to allow remote sex experiences. One startup company appropriately named Pillow Talk simulates the intimate experience of lying in bed with a partner by replicating a heartbeat in a large pillow. FakeGirlfriend invites male singles looking for female companionship to create a unique virtual girlfriend. Men using FakeGirlfriend receive computer-generated SMS's to let others think they are in a real relationship. Innovations like these are already creating new types of emotional- and sexual intimacy using technology, and are personal and individually customized. Sex workers will also take ideas from relationship innovations to enhance their own client interactions. For example, they offer their regulars a paid personalized video or SMS. These personalized tech-driven services will make consumers believe they are engaged in actual relationships instead of economic transactions with sex workers.

Commercial sex will converge with pop-tech

At the moment, the commercial sex industry is re-purposing mainstream tech ideas to make it sex oriented. Innovators within commercial sex are connecting current platforms to sex in real life. For example, Offbeatr is a crowd-funding platform for adult projects. Snatchly, is the porn version of Pinterest, a virtual pin board that allows  social sharing of sexual content. Both ideas were born because traditional platforms overall do not allow adult content. Popular technology (pop-tech) will adapt to accommodate sexual needs that are not currently being met. They will need to, because survival depends on what they can offer and what the user wants. In the near future, the line between mainstream and underground sex will blur to the point of non-existence. Personalizing technologies, artificial intelligence and privacy options will make it easier for users to apply pop-tech platforms to meet their sex needs. In fact, mainstream pop-tech will partner with sex-based services in order to create additional revenue streams. Rate-able and share-able online content available through popular technology will allow users to customize their own sex-based content. People will get increasingly enhanced user experiences and personal security at the same time. At the same time, they will be able to see and store all of their favorite material on one central place that's accessible from anywhere (cloud-computing).

Sex dependent on region

Although technology has created digital bridges all across the globe, sex based services will continue to be different in the developed- and developing regions. In developed areas, technology will move sex work off the streets and into entrepreneurial ventures. This will provide a safer and more stable work environment for sex professionals, who will be empowered by technology to take ownership of their careers by using collaborative networks and online promotion for personal marketing. Sex workers will use tools to position themselves as business-women. They will be able to personally connect with potential clients in a specific niche, instead of relying on a third party. By cutting middlemen and pimps out of the loop, the sex workers will make more money - and increase their own freedom and safety as well. Conversely, in developing regions, men will continue to travel abroad to leave traditional Western “female empowerment” behind. The inequities between the developed and developing world that fuel the dark side of global sex tourism are not likely to change so soon. According to the Commission on AIDS in Asia, men who buy sex are driving Asia’s HIV epidemic. As a result, Asia stands to be the first region in the world in which governments will get serious about regulating working conditions for sex workers; and international organizations will make AIDS and STD prevention in developing regions a priority.

Mainstream organizations will realize the economic value of commercial sex

Mainstream brands, governments and investment firms are aligning with commercial sex to not only attract consumer attention, as well as to create revenue. In 2011, PETA announced plans to launch an .xxx site to promote vegetarianism. In the past, the organization commissioned porn stars to film racy advertising segments about “Veggie Love." Actresses were filmed engaging in sex acts with vegetables, which has since become some sort of a fetish trend. Though the short was banned from the Super Bowl, the campaign went viral online. Recently, Sony partnered with Playboy’s Cybergirl Jo Garcia to launch its new PlayStation Vita, a handheld gaming device that can be used in conjunction with a PS 3 console. Sex specific investment firms like Ackrell Capital will continue to attract investors who want to reap the financial rewards associated with the commercial sex industry. The International Labor Organization reports that the sex industry accounts for 2% to 14% of economic activity in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. It also estimates commercial sex is worth 4.4% of Korean GDP -- which is more than forestry, fishing and agriculture combined. In the early 1990s, tax revenues from phone sex calls in San Tome increased so much that the government was able to construct a new telecommunication system with the funds. In addition, private and public organizations of all types will openly support or engage with the sex industry to increase revenue and get the public’s attention. 

In the future, the public face of the sex industry will transform radically. The traditional definition of sex will be redefined by not only technological innovation that expands the ability to create intimacy online, but also by popular technology platforms that will help users meet their sexual needs. Sex work will be dependent on region with developed nations accepting sex work into the mainstream, while developing nations will continue to accommodate the darker side of the industry. Traditional organizations will seek economic growth through commercial sex affiliations and governments will realize more tax revenue from it.

With or without mainstream support, the commercial sex industry will move ahead as an established and essential industry because of these technological and societal trends and as a result, sex work is already beginning to move out of the back alleys and onto Main Street. Views towards sex, specifically toward the sex industry, will be debated instead of ignored, stigmatized or generalized by the global masses. The implications of commercial sex will be considered alongside the complex web of faces and experiences associated with sex work.

Technology won’t replace sex workers; but it looks like it's leading to the creation of a new industry that augments our current experiences with sex, and could eventually take us to new and fantastic places where no human has gone before.

Filed under: Future sex trends - Commercial sex - New sex hypes - Sexual evolution - Μελλοντικές τάσεις σεξ - Εμπορική σεξ - Νέα hypes σεξ - σεξουαλική εξέλιξη - מגמות עתידיות מין - מין מסחרי - hypes המין חדש - אבולוציה - מינית - Futuras tendencias sexuales - sexo comercial - Nuevos hypes sexuales - Evolución Sexual - 未来性的趋势 - 商业性行为 - 性炒作 - 性演变 - 未來性的趨勢 - 商業性行為 - 性炒作 - 性演變 - Tendenze sessuali future - sesso - Nuovi hypes sesso - evoluzione sessuale - Tendances sexuelles futurs - Le commerce du sexe - Nouveaux exagérations de sexe - évolution sexuelle - 将来セックスの傾向 - コマーシャルセックス - 新しいセックス誇大宣伝 - セクシュアリティの進化 - Tendências futuras do sexo - sexo Comercial - Novos hypes sexo - Evolução Sexual - Tren seks masa depan - seks komersial - hypes seks Baru - evolusi Seksual -  미래의 섹스 동향 - 상용 성 - 새로운 섹스 마약 중독 - 성적 진화

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