Economist Podcasts Digital stimulation: AI and porn
155 snips
Dec 10, 2025 
Avantika Chilkoti, a global business writer, delves into how generative AI is revolutionizing the porn industry, enhancing production while reshaping the roles of sex workers. She discusses potential risks like deepfake violence and the need for regulation. Meghna Nanu examines the rise of dark tourism in Syria, where visitors explore sites of past atrocities, weighing ethical concerns of voyeurism versus memorialization. The podcast also touches on the surprising local debates surrounding leaf blowers, revealing deeper societal divides.
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Performers Face Automation Choices
- AI tools can automate interaction and content creation for sex workers, changing workflows.
- Some performers license digital doubles while others fear replacement by bots.
Authenticity Drives Arousal
- People find AI-generated porn less arousing when they think it's not real.
- Perceived authenticity correlates with arousal, so realism matters for demand.
Porn Shapes Sexual Scripts
- Increased availability of violent or extreme porn can shape sexual behaviour.
- Exposure to violent sexual content risks normalising harmful sexual scripts and non-consensual acts.