AI nudes 'more attractive' than real ones according to research - and it's cause for concern | indy100

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There’s no denying that AI-generated nude imagery strikes many people as deeply unsettling – and a worrying sign of the times.

Now, a new study published in Archives of Sexual Behavior suggests that some viewers rate AI-generated sexual imagery as more appealing than photographs of real people.

The research, led by Ellen Zakreski at the Czech National Institute of Mental Health and Charles University, examined how people respond to different forms of sexual imagery. The team recruited 649 adults who reported being sexually attracted to women. The sample was predominantly male, with just 45 women taking part.

Participants were shown images of nude women against a plain grey background. Each image belonged to one of several categories: photographs of real women, computer-generated figures, AI-generated images, photographs of women with surgically enhanced features, silicone sex dolls, and hentai-style illustrations.

The images represented a range of body types and physical features. Participants were asked to rate each one using a digital slider, judging factors such as realism, sexual attractiveness, aesthetic appeal and emotional pleasantness.

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Unsurprisingly, photographs of real women were rated as the most realistic overall. AI-generated images ranked second on realism.

However, the results raised some eyebrows. On average, participants rated the AI-generated images highest for aesthetic appeal and sexual attractiveness. They were also rated as the most emotionally pleasant to view. Photographs of real women placed second in these categories.

The study also found differences across age groups. Older participants tended to rate both real photographs and AI-generated images as more attractive and pleasant overall, while younger participants gave relatively higher ratings to hentai-style illustrations.

Overall, the findings suggest that hyper-realistic AI imagery can compete with (and in some cases surpass) real photographs in certain subjective evaluations. Researchers say the results reflect the rapidly changing landscape of digital sexual imagery, as artificial and synthetic visuals become more sophisticated and widely available online.

While the study does not examine real-world behaviour, it does point to how advances in generative AI may be reshaping perceptions of sexual imagery online – and raises concerns about the potential impact on already distorted beauty standards.

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