One in three Britons would consider a sexual encounter with a robot, says survey

More than one in three people in the UK would consider a sexual encounter with a robot, a survey has revealed.

The study showed that 36% of Britons would have sex with a robot that has a human-like appearance.

And 40% said having sex with a robot would not constitute cheating on their partner.

The survey was commissioned by online streaming service NOW TV, which is showing the first season of robot-themed television show Westworld.

It revealed that 39% of Britons believe that we will be having relationships with robots instead of humans by 2050.

Of those surveyed, 41% said they would consider visiting a park like Westworld – and 48% would feel less guilty about sleeping with a robot than with a human.

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However, one in three Britons (29.7%) said they would be ‘horrified’ if one of their friends embarked on a relationship with a robot, with 16% saying they would try to convince them to abandon it.

In the TV show, starring Anthony Hopkins, Thandie Newton and Ed Harris, visitors to a futurist theme park staffed by artificial intelligence can live out their darkest fantasies.

Almost eight out of ten people (79%) believe it would be ethically wrong to harm an artificially intelligent robot.

And 41% believe that sexual robot relations could affect relationships between human adults.

Professor Noel Sharkey, who recently published a consultation report with Foundation of Responsible Robotics, said: ‘Robotics and artificial intelligence is a long way off the technical sophistication of the theme park in Westworld, but we’re already seeing dolls being used in the adult entertainment industry and we can expect robots to join them soon.

‘As a society, we need to start agreeing where the ethical boundaries are with the use of robots, so that as they are integrated into our daily lives in the coming decades we are ready.’

Catch up or binge on the complete box set of Westworld contract-free with a NOW TV Entertainment Pass for £7.99.