he is dismissive of the new AI-enabled doll.
"The idea that adding artificial intelligence adds something human to a doll is wrong. There is more artificial intelligence in my washing machine than in this doll and just because it has a face and a body doesn't make it human."
Dr Kate Devlin, a senior lecturer at Goldsmiths University, takes a different view.
"In their current form, sex robots are definitely aimed at men but the sex toy industry is developing and there are lots of start-ups working on sex toys for women."
She thinks robots designed for intimate relationships, will ultimately enhance rather than damage human relationships.
"There is always panic whenever there is a big dramatic technology shift," she said. "People panic about how it will affect humans but the technology generally brings people together."
Find out more about this and our changing relationship with machines in The Robots Story on World Service radio. First broadcasting on Tuesday 16 May at 10.30.
