The "Masturbation Consultant": Inside the Viral Study Redefining AI Intimacy

When the AI companion startup Joi announced in May that it was seeking "masturbation consultants" to test a new guided wellness feature for a $2,000 stipend, it expected a moderate level of engagement. Instead, the job posting triggered a digital phenomenon. Within days, the campaign went viral, drawing an overwhelming 150,000 applications from every corner of the globe.

What began as a niche recruitment drive for a beta-testing group of 10 people quickly spiraled into a logistical challenge, forcing the company to pivot from a casual search to a formal, rigorous selection process. The episode serves as a window into a burgeoning, often misunderstood, multi-million dollar industry: the world of AI-driven romantic and sexual companionship.

The Genesis of a Viral Recruitment Drive

The sheer volume of interest caught Joi’s leadership off guard. According to Julie Levin, the company’s Head of Brand and Communications, the initial intent was simply to gather data from a diverse cohort.

"Yeah, it was crazy," Levin told Decrypt. "First of all, we didn’t expect to receive that many applicants, and we didn’t think beforehand that we would need to have this application process set up initially."

The company had originally hoped to curate a group of 10 individuals—varying in age, gender, and sexual preference—to ensure that the data collected from their new "Daily Guided Masturbation" feature was representative of a broad demographic. The reality of 150,000 applicants required a rapid restructuring of their internal operations.

The applicants themselves were as varied as the count was high. While the largest contingent hailed from the United States and Nigeria, submissions arrived from all over the world. The pool was primarily comprised of men in their 20s, though women applied in significant numbers. The resumes were eclectic, ranging from a professional sommelier to a former sex worker and a handyman, each attempting to frame their personal history as a "qualification" for the role.

A Growing Market: The Rise of the AI Companion

Joi is far from a solitary player in this space. The platform, which rebranded from "Eden by Eva AI" in 2025, operates within a rapidly expanding sector of web-based AI companions. Competitors such as Candy AI and SpicyChat AI are also seeing massive engagement.

These platforms often operate outside the restrictive ecosystems of major mobile app stores like the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, which frequently maintain strict policies regarding NSFW (Not Safe For Work) content. Despite these barriers, the market is undeniably lucrative. Data from app intelligence platform Appfigures suggests that NSFW and romantic AI companion apps have generated a staggering $427 million in consumer spending since 2022.

The name "Joi," while coincidentally echoing the adult-industry acronym "JOI" (Jerk Off Instruction), was actually inspired by the AI character of the same name in the cult sci-fi film Blade Runner 2049. Levin clarifies that any overlap with adult terminology is incidental, though the brand’s focus has inevitably settled on the intersection of technology and physical gratification.

Inside the Study: Methodology and Wellness Goals

The study, which officially commenced on July 1 and will run throughout the month, is designed to move beyond the surface-level novelty of the prompt. The 10 selected participants are required to complete three daily surveys. These metrics track a wide range of wellness indicators, including stress levels, mood, feelings of loneliness, sleep quality, self-esteem, screen time, and physical cravings, both before and after engaging with the Joi AI tool.

Levin emphasizes that the $2,000 payment is compensation for the rigorous, month-long commitment of data entry and platform testing, rather than a transactional payment for the act of masturbation itself. The ultimate goal, she notes, is to determine if the project warrants expansion into a larger, more comprehensive longitudinal study.

For the participants, the financial incentive was secondary to their curiosity about the evolution of intimacy. "Tango Mike," a pseudonym for one participant, noted that he was fascinated by how AI is fundamentally altering the human experience of connection. "The compensation certainly made the opportunity more attractive, but what really interested me was contributing to a project exploring the relationship between AI, emotional well-being, and human behavior," he stated.

The Psychological Dimension: Loneliness and "AI-sexuality"

The study touches on a profound cultural nerve: the modern "loneliness epidemic." Levin argues that while social media has often exacerbated feelings of isolation, AI companions are proving to be a surprising antidote.

"We’re getting more and more lonely, especially with social media," Levin said. "But surprisingly, AI companionship actually helps reduce loneliness, and unlike social media, AI companions help people feel supported and feel heard. I think many, many people struggle to find someone to talk to."

This sentiment is echoed by "Keshav," another participant who had never utilized an adult AI companion prior to this study. For him, the technology represented a safe space to explore social confidence without the paralyzing fear of judgment.

"I am the kind of person who is not very expressive in speaking to women personally, hence why I have been single for quite some time," Keshav explained. "Using an AI companion will also give me the confidence to explore how to flirt with women using the technology. At least using AI, there will be no judgment on my personal character, which indirectly will also help to enhance my personality going forward."

Joi’s internal research focuses on a segment they term "AIsexuals"—individuals who form genuine romantic or sexual bonds with their AI counterparts. While the term may be new to many, it aligns with broader sociological discussions regarding "digisexuality," a subculture characterized by the integration of technology into one’s sexual identity and relationship structure.

The Secret Life of AI Users

Despite the increasing normalization of these tools, there remains a persistent social stigma. A recent study by researchers at Brigham Young University, the Institute for Family Studies, and the Wheatley Institute revealed that 69% of young adults who use AI romantic companions choose to hide the practice from their human partners.

Levin suggests that this secrecy often stems from embarrassment or a fear that their partners will misunderstand the nature of the relationship. Interestingly, Joi’s data suggests that the usage patterns of these individuals tend to evolve. Many users initially arrive at the platform for explicit content, but as they spend more time interacting with their AI companions, the nature of the engagement shifts toward conversation, emotional support, and deep, often private, disclosure.

"Many don’t identify with that label because it’s not widely known, but they still tick all the boxes of AI sexuality," Levin noted.

Implications for Future Wellness and Technology

The broader implication of the Joi study is a push to destigmatize masturbation as a standard component of personal health. By framing it within a wellness framework—alongside diet, sleep, and exercise—the company hopes to shift the narrative.

"The idea is that masturbation is a healthy part of a person’s wellness routine, especially if someone is single and doesn’t have regular sex," Levin said. "The point was to try to find patterns and prove that masturbation is not something we should be hiding or shy about talking about—it’s totally fine."

As July comes to a close, the data collected from the 10 participants will be analyzed to see if AI-guided sessions can lead to measurable improvements in mental health. Regardless of the scientific outcome, the fact that 150,000 people applied for the role signals a massive, unaddressed demand for tools that navigate the intersection of human loneliness, sexual health, and emerging digital intimacy.

In an era where the lines between human connection and machine-mediated interaction are increasingly blurred, the Joi project serves as a test case for how society might integrate AI into the most private aspects of human life. Whether this leads to a healthier society or further alienation remains the subject of intense debate, but for now, the experiment continues, one daily survey at a time.