By The Economist
Publication Date: 2025-12-04 18:00:00
Pornography has long been a testing ground for new technologies. When Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century, it was quickly used to print lewd pamphlets. Adult films began showing on video in 1977, a year before mainstream Hollywood films, and dominated sales for some time. When Minitel, a French forerunner of the Internet, entered the market in the early 1980s, adult services initially accounted for between a third and a half of all data traffic. The situation is similar with 8mm cameras, cable television – and now artificial intelligence.
Even though many companies are hesitant about using AI, the technology is already being used and producing mess. Porn sites are teeming with AI-generated videos and images. Big AI companies are fighting to make money from their super-intelligent models and…
