Generative AI pornography

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Generative AI pornography or simply AI pornography is a digitally created pornography produced through generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. [1] Unlike traditional pornography, which involves real actors and cameras, this content is synthesized entirely by AI algorithms. [2] These algorithms, including Generative adversarial network (GANs) and text-to-image models, generate lifelike images, videos, or animations from textual descriptions or datasets.

Contents

History

The use of generative AI in the adult industry began in the late 2010s, initially focusing on AI-generated art, music, and visual content. [3] This trend accelerated in 2022 with Stability AI's release of Stable Diffusion (SD), an open-source text-to-image model that enables users to generate images, including NSFW content, from text prompts using the LAION-Aesthetics subset of the LAION-5B dataset. [4] [5] [6] Despite Stability AI's warnings against sexual imagery, SD's public release led to dedicated communities exploring both artistic and explicit content, sparking ethical debates over open-access AI and its use in adult media. [7] [8] [9] By 2020[ dubious – discuss ], AI tools had advanced to generate highly realistic adult content, amplifying calls for regulation. [2] [10]

AI-generated influencers

One application of generative AI technology is the creation of AI-generated influencers on platforms such as OnlyFans and Instagram. [11] [12] [3] These AI personas interact with users in ways that can mimic real human engagement, offering an entirely synthetic but convincing experience. [13] While popular among niche audiences, these virtual influencers have prompted discussions about authenticity, consent, and the blurring line between human and AI-generated content, especially in adult entertainment. [14]

The growth of AI porn sites

By 2023, websites dedicated to AI-generated adult content had gained traction, catering to audiences seeking customizable experiences. [10] [11] These platforms allow users to create or view AI-generated pornography tailored to their preferences. [2] [15] These platforms enable users to create or view AI-generated adult content appealing to different preferences through prompts and tags, customizing body type, facial features, and art styles. [16] [17] Tags further refine the output, creating niche and diverse content. Many sites feature extensive image libraries and continuous content feeds, combining personalization with discovery and enhancing user engagement. AI porn sites, therefore, attract those seeking unique or niche experiences, sparking debates on creativity and the ethical boundaries of AI in adult media. [18] [10]

Generative AI porn "communities"

Popular sites like civitai.com allow users to create, upload, and download fine-tuned versions of open source models of SDXL, Flux, and that are specifically designed for generating various pornographic scenes or effects.

Ethical concerns and misuse

The growth of generative AI pornography has also attracted some cause for criticism. [10] [11] [15] AI technology can be exploited to create non-consensual pornographic material, posing risks similar to those seen with deepfake revenge porn and AI-generated NCII (Non-Consensual Intimate Image). [19] A 2023 analysis found that 98% of deepfake videos online are pornographic, with 99% of the victims being women. [20] Some famous celebrities victims of deepfake include Scarlett Johansson, Taylor Swift, and Maisie Williams. [13]

OpenAI is exploring whether NSFW content, such as erotica, can be responsibly generated in age-appropriate contexts while maintaining its ban on deepfakes. [21] This proposal has attracted criticism from child safety campaigners who argue it undermines OpenAI's mission to develop "safe and beneficial" AI. [8] Additionally, the Internet Watch Foundation has raised concerns about AI being used to generate sexual abuse content involving children. [22]

AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery (AI Undress)

Several US states are taking actions against using deepfake apps and sharing them on the internet. [23] [24] In 2024, San Francisco filed a landmark lawsuit to shut down "undress" apps that allow users to generate non-consensual AI nude images, citing violations of state laws. [25] The case aligns with California's recent legislation—SB 926, SB 942, and SB 981—championed by Senators Aisha Wahab and Josh Becker and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. These bills aim to protect individuals from AI-generated explicit images by criminalizing non-consensual distribution, mandating disclosures, and empowering victims to report and remove harmful content from platforms. [24] [26]

Differences from deepfake pornography

While both generative AI pornography and deepfake pornography rely on synthetic media, they differ in their methods and ethical considerations. [13] Deepfake pornography typically involves altering existing footage of real individuals, often without their consent, using AI to superimpose faces or modify scenes. [18] [20] In contrast, generative AI pornography is created using algorithms, producing hyper-realistic content without the need to upload real pictures of people. [9] [8] Hany Farid, digital image analysis expert, also described the difference between "AI porn" and "deepfake porn." [14]

Legality

The legality of generative AI pornography varies widely by jurisdiction and remains an evolving issue. In some countries, laws addressing digital impersonation, obscenity, or deepfake technologies may indirectly apply, particularly when AI-generated content involves the likeness of real individuals without consent. The absence of a physical performer further complicates traditional regulatory frameworks, which are often grounded in performer protection and distribution laws. [27]

In the United States, legal responses have primarily focused on non-consensual deepfakes and impersonation. [28] Some states, such as Virginia, California, and Texas, have enacted legislation criminalising the creation or distribution of non-consensual explicit deepfake content. However, there is no comprehensive federal law addressing AI-generated pornography, leaving a patchwork of legal interpretations and enforcement standards across different jurisdictions. [29]

According to a 2023 report, South Korea accounts for approximately 53% of global deepfake pornography production. [30] In September 2024, South Korea’s National Assembly amended the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, introducing two significant reforms related to deepfake content. [31] The first criminalises the possession, viewing, purchase, and storage of non-consensual deepfake material, with penalties of up to three years in prison or fines of up to 30 million won (approximately USD 20,000). The second reform specifically addresses the exploitation of minors, establishing that individuals who use deepfakes to threaten or blackmail minors face a minimum of three years’ imprisonment, and at least five years if they coerce minors into unwanted acts. [32]

References

  1. ↑ Lapointe, Valerie A.; Dubé, Simon; Rukhlyadyev, Sophia; Kessai, Tinhinane; Lafortune, David (2025). "The Present and Future of Adult Entertainment: A Content Analysis of AI-Generated Pornography Websites". Archives of Sexual Behavior . doi:10.1007/s10508-025-03099-1.
  2. 1 2 3 Dubé, Simon; Lapointe, Valerie A. (April 9, 2024). "AI-generated pornography will disrupt the adult content industry and raise new ethical concerns". The Conversation . Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Deepfake pornography could be a growing problem as AI editing programs become more sophisticated - CBS News". CBS News . April 17, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  4. ↑ Cole, Samantha (December 20, 2023). "Largest Dataset Powering AI Images Removed After Discovery of Child Sexual Abuse Material". 404 Media . Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Stable Diffusion launch announcement". Stability AI . Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Stable Diffusion 2.0 Release". Stability AI . Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  7. ↑ Silberling, Amanda; Wiggers, Kyle (September 2, 2022). "AI is getting better at generating porn". TechCrunch . Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 Harwell, Drew (June 19, 2023). "AI-generated child sex images spawn new nightmare for the web". The Washington Post . Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  9. 1 2 Rowland, Tim (April 13, 2023). "AI porn is now a thing, and I'm ready to let the modern culture bus go on without me". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Weiss, Ben (February 18, 2024). "Can AI porn be ethical?". The Guardian . Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 Pandey, Kamya (March 30, 2023). "AI in the Porn Industry: Exploring the Benefits, Risks and Ethical Concerns - Jumpstart Magazine". Jumpstart Magazine. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  12. ↑ Tangermann, Victor (November 27, 2023). "Creators of Fake Influencer Say She's Generating $11,000/Month". Futurism. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 Marr, Bernard (September 27, 2019). "How AI Is Transforming Porn And Adult Entertainment". Forbes . Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  14. 1 2 Dickson, Ej (April 10, 2023). "They're Selling Nudes of Imaginary Women on Reddit -- and It's Working". Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  15. 1 2 A. Lapointe, Valerie; Dubé, Simon (April 9, 2024). "AI-generated pornography will disrupt the adult content industry and raise new ethical concerns". Yahoo News . Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  16. ↑ "How To Use Prompting And Tags More Effectively". CreatePorn.com. January 25, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  17. ↑ Rebelo, Miguel (May 25, 2023). "How to write effective AI art prompts". Zapier . Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  18. 1 2 "Will AI porn transform adult entertainment – and is that a good thing?". The Week . February 29, 2024. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  19. ↑ "The Ethics of Customizable AI-generated Pornography". DePauw University . Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  20. 1 2 Hurst, Luke (October 20, 2023). "How AI is driving an explosive rise in deepfake pornography". Euronews . Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  21. ↑ Knibbs, Kate (May 8, 2024). "OpenAI Is 'Exploring' How to Responsibly Generate AI Porn". Wired . Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  22. ↑ "OpenAI considers allowing users to create AI-generated pornography". The Guardian . May 9, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  23. ↑ Williams, Kaylee (September 12, 2024). "US States Struggle to Define "Deepfakes" and Related Terms as Technically Complex Legislation Proliferates". Tech Policy Press. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  24. 1 2 "The Urgent Need For U S Deepfake Pornography Laws State Action Leads The Way". CreatePorn.com. No. September 27, 2024. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  25. ↑ O'Brien, Matt; Hadero, Haleluya (August 16, 2024). "San Francisco goes after websites that make AI deepfake nudes of women and girls". AP News . Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  26. ↑ Day, Brian (September 25, 2024). "California cracks down on AI-generated 'sexually explicit deepfakes'". Ventura County Star . Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  27. ↑ Bhattacharjee, Rituparna; Sharma, Muskan (2025). "Deepfake & Pornography: The Coming Crisis of Privacy and Consent". South Eastern European Journal of Public Health. 26 (2): 1196–1213. doi:10.70135/seejph.vi.4885.
  28. ↑ "Is AI Porn illegal?". Hera Haven. Jan 14, 2025. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Deceptive Audio or Visual Media ('Deepfakes') 2024 Legislation". National Conference of State Legislatures. Nov 22, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  30. ↑ Ji, SeungGyeong (2025). "#MeToo in an AI-generated deepfake sexual violence era in South Korea". Women's Studies International Forum. 112: 103146. doi:10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103146.
  31. ↑ Kyung, Jung (Sep 26, 2024). "Assembly passes bills to toughen punishment for deepfake sex crimes". The Korea Herald. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  32. ↑ Rasmussen, josephine; Jalmerud, Tove (June 13, 2025). "Digital Sex Crimes on the Rise in South Korea" (PDF). Institute for Security and Development Policy. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
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