What happened?

AI companion company Joi AI conducted a 28-day internal study in July 2026 by hiring 10 people as "masturbation coaches." Participants were asked to masturbate daily except Sundays, interact twice a week with the company's sexually explicit digital characters, and use their own preferred methods on other days.

One participant, 38-year-old Indonesian investor Keshav, logged his mood, energy levels, cravings for various habits, and procrastination behavior before and after each session. Interacting with digital characters through five-minute video calls, Keshav described the experience as "like chatting with a real person."

More than 150,000 people applied for the project; five were chosen by the company, and five through public contests judged by porn performers seeking the most "extreme" fetish. Six of the ten participants completed the study, each receiving $2,000 in payment.

Why does it matter?

In a pre-study survey of 2,500 adults, Joi AI found that 75% of respondents masturbated to reduce stress and anxiety, while 43% did so before a date, exam, or difficult conversation. The company is using these findings to promote its paid "purposeful masturbation" tool, which claims to address male loneliness.

The company's preliminary analysis, based on 134 session reports, suggested participants' stress levels rose by 25% and focus improved by 17%. It also claimed cravings for nicotine, alcohol, junk food, and screen time dropped 44% after masturbation. However, the comment from Joi AI's brand and communications director Julie Levin calling it "the most accessible tool in fighting addiction" lacks scientific grounding.

Neuroscientist Nicole Prause, who studies sexuality and addiction, called these results "an extreme overgeneralization from the evidence." Prause emphasized that the study relied solely on self-reporting and did not use bias-free cognitive tests. Still, Prause acknowledges that orgasm can be an effective mood-management tool and that she has observed notable reductions in anxiety.

What did participants say?

  • Keshav said he felt clearer-minded after the experience and more confident approaching women.
  • Chloé Locatelli, a sexual technology researcher at King's College London, said AI companions weren't satisfying for her personally but acknowledged their stress-reducing effect.
  • Locatelli stressed that AI companions shouldn't be encouraged as the sole form of sexual exploration.
  • A 2024 review of 22 studies found masturbation was negatively associated with sexual satisfaction in men, while results for women were mixed.

What's next?

Joi AI plans to expand its "purposeful masturbation" tool, accessible on its platform starting at $3.99 a month, and continue offering in-app purchases, with 10,000 "Joi neurons" selling for $99.99. The company's findings have not yet received independent scientific validation, and researchers like Prause continue to criticize the methodology.