Last month, we reported on the controversy over a new gravure idol who was supposedly AI-generated but seemed to be just a slightly different version of a flesh-and-blood gradol. The publisher eventually withdrew its much-hyped photo book featuring Ai Satsuki.
As we noted in a follow-up post, artificial intelligence has major implications for gravure, making it possible to churn out cheap photo books with almost now overheads (no expensive photo shoots, no model fees, etc.). It has meant the market is currently flooded with cheap or even free photo books.
The issue of AI and gravure has ...
It sparked both hype and controversy, and then just as quickly vanished.
When publisher Shueisha released a digital photo book featuring a fully AI-generated gravure model on May 29, it felt like the tipping point of something.
But then netizens were quick to point out that the "model" Ai Satsuki was uncannily similar to a real-life gravure idol, Hikari Kabashima (previously known as Yui Asakura), suggesting the AI was simply recycling images of Kabashima/Asakura from the Weekly Playboy shoot she did (Shueisha publishes the magazine).
Shueisha responded to the controversy by withdrawing ...
Back in 2011, AKB48 briefly seemed to be on the cusp of some sort of technological tipping point when it played with a fully digital member of the group. Sadly, or not, Aimi Eguchi was created just for an ad campaign and this "digital idol" trend didn't continue.
Instead, we got dribs and drabs of sensational digitally created idols like Saya, the ultra-realistic schoolgirl who wasn't real, and were teased with an all-digital supergroup.
The VR boom in the 2010s also seemed to be a major new chapter in the relationship between sex and technology (not least, its implications for watching ...
At regular intervals, it is common to see media articles breathlessly discuss the future of sex and sexuality in terms of robotic vaginas and dolls, especially combined with augmented reality tech. That hasn't really come to pass, mainly (we suspect) because of the cost of making and owning such toys. Likewise, the hype about virtual reality's implications for porn and sex toys has plateaued; though the tech is still around, it hasn't quite ushered in the immediate revolution we were led to believe it would.
But the Artificial Intelligence Vagina No. 01 Onahole is advertised as an industry ...
It seems that everyone is using AI these days to make art, photos, and even essays. The results are often very impressive. Perhaps even worrying.
But here's some AI that's really worth getting excited about. Kanyon Industries, which seems to be based in Hong Kong, posts examples of AI art featuring sexy cosplayers -- all digitally rendered, of course.
Heavily influenced by Japanese sources, it was inevitable that the results would strike big among Japanese netizens (as in, almost 31 million views and counting for this one tweet).
People say that AI still struggles with hands but ...
Though there is a tiny inkling of a chance that this might change if FC2 founder Riyo Takahashi wins a seat in the Japanese Upper House this month, it remains illegal in Japan to sell or distribute uncensored porn.
The "mosaic" look has become an iconic part of Japanese adult video: those grainy pixels where the penis and vagina should be.
Personally, we don't mind it. But some are put off by the constant blur and there is clearly a market for uncensored Japanese porn. Just don't try selling it if you are in Japan.
Masayuki Nakamoto was arrested last October for selling uncensored adult ...
Japan has a declining population. The government, in all its wisdom, has decided to do something about this.
Helping women maintain careers after giving birth? Fixing the toxic work culture that requires gruelingly long hours and male-dominated management?
That can wait. The government is hoping robots will fix things.
As recently reported in the mainstream media, the government plans to allocate a whopping ¥2 billion next year for giving out to local authorities that implement programs where residents find love -- assisted by artificial intelligence.
In fact, about half of the ...
Is this future of idols?
People often complain about the manufactured nature of idols, both in terms of the way they look and their music. Well, this development takes things to the next logical yet extreme step.
Kyoto-based DataGrid has released a video showing the creation of a fully digital schoolgirl idol. In fact, it's dozens of smiling, innocent-looking schoolgirls -- a fully fledged supergroup of its own, and all generated by computer graphic pixels and artificial intelligence.
To be honest, we don't know whether to be amazed or terrified. The realism is certainly amazing ...
Make the first "AI doll" based on gravure idol Ai Shinozaki.
First off, there's some serious wordplay going on here: "AI doll" is aidoru (idol), while Shinozaki's name also references "artificial intelligence."
In other words, some geeky boffins are planning to create a fully digital version of Shinozaki.
Virtual idols already exist aplenty, from Vocaloid music idols to AKB48 temporary digital members and virtual dating game idols.
How is this different?
Well, they are going to use artificial intelligence based on Ai Shinozaki.
The digital creation will speak like her and learn her ...
