AI isn’t just something that makes our jobs easier, it’s also used to bring an audio porn world to life. Amelia Reynolds speaks to BLOOM to learn how AI can add to our sex life

Gen Z porn habits

Generation Z is one that doesn't like to skimp on quality. Ensuring the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the technology we use are ethically produced has become a priority for many. So why is porn any different? 

With their strong sense of justice for how people are treated by and on the internet, this generation uses comment sections, petitions and the power of social media to spread word about the experiences of those who have been victims of deep fake pornography, revenge porn and any form of mistreatment related to sex or dating. 

When it comes to what they consume, it’s not any different. Gen Z has a growing appetite for high quality, ethical porn across different formats, with the hashtag #spicyaudio collecting over 150 million views on TikTok alone. 

Audio porn popularity

Simultaneously meeting the demand for audio porn and going against the grain of what is expected for the role of AI in porn is BLOOM. 

With interactivity at its core, BLOOM uses AI to create an immersive world of audio porn, from sex and masturbation guides, to audio erotica and a chatbot feature that allows users to text or voice note their favourite spicy audio characters.

At a glance, BLOOM is unlike any other porn site. With over 1000 stories and guides, its catalogue is staggering. Categories span from fantasies taken straight from the regular daydreams, like ‘the delivery man’ and ‘the morning after’, to the more fantastical – vampires, gods, goddesses, sirens and witches.

“I like to think of it as spicy Audible,” its content director, Jaimee Bell, tells me.

By offering a wide array of fantasy content, BLOOM immerses users in their desires, offering “a place to explore where they can kind of insert themselves into the narrative and the story, and feel safe while doing it”. 

Jaimee thinks this growing popularity of audio porn stems from the “immersive aspect of it”. She says that listening and visualising means you’re not comparing yourself to what you see on the screen, you’re able to transport yourself and get carried away by the stories. 

What is BLOOM?

BLOOM was born with interactivity in mind. Founded by a couple who wanted to explore alternative forms of pornography, the platform was initially launched with audio guides and meditations.

From the earlier, simpler iterations like “someone guiding you and your partner through a sexual experience”, Jaimee explains the guides have really evolved. 

“In our latest guides, we transport you to a new location, and someone is dirty talking in your ear encouraging you to fantasise about something.”

Speaking of tailored fantasies, those with a premium subscription can submit concepts to the writing team to give them the chance of a custom-made audio porn story.

This is what helps Bloom’s content stay relevant, Jaimee explains. “There was a time last year where people were just obsessed with anal, it was everywhere – everyone wanted it. We had it in a lot of stories. 

“Then all of a sudden, in the next survey, anal was at the bottom of the list and threesomes were on top and so we just try to fluctuate with where people's tastes are.”

Because of these ever-changing trends, the platform is constantly growing. With a site gaining popularity as quickly as Bloom, the team makes it a priority to ensure that the standard of content isn’t compromised by the volume; taking on feedback to keep the stories fresh. 

“Sometimes it’s removing old episodes that don’t have the right wording anymore. In the beginning, a lot of our episodes focused on very specific body types; now we try to stay away from that level of specificity because we want our episode to be relatable to everyone,” they explain.

AI porn chatbots

And its attention to ethics and the importance of relatability doesn’t stop there. The platform has one key feature: its AI chatbot that lets users speak to their favourite audio characters from the stories they listen to. 

Read more: Is AI reshaping our sexuality?

Not only can they engage in some steamy text chats, but BLOOM has perfected its audio chat features, where users can receive voice messages from characters they’ve taken a liking to. Jaimee, who works closely with Bloom’s team of voice actors, says that they found the new AI chat feature exciting, getting to hear the characters they play take on lives of their own. 

“⁠It was important to use from the beginning that our voice actors felt positive about coming on board with us for this experience,” she says.

The voice actors play a huge role in ensuring their characters' chatbots are as realistic as possible. “Voice actors were involved in helping us fine tune both the voices and personalities of the chatbots and continue to earn residuals each and every time their chatbots are used on Bloom.”

Traversing the topic of AI can be difficult. Amid national and international investigations into AI’s role in deepfake porn, much of the discourse surrounds issues of consent and exploitation. It was a “tricky balancing act to stay on the positive, ethical side”, Jaimee says.

Ethical AI, ethical porn

The question of how to ethically produce AI porn has dominated the conversation around the technology. Although Open AI currently prohibits the production of sexually explicit material, the company is currently exploring whether this could be a service they offer down the line.

“Our main objective was to build something that gave our users a very unique experience that also felt safe and authentic.”

Aside from ensuring that the chat feature adhered to Bloom’s content guidelines, the welfare of their voice actors was at the forefront of their priorities: “we work[ed] with voice actors to ensure consent and fair compensation for using their likeness”.

If we’ve piqued your interest, just click the chat icon, enter your preferred name and pronouns and you’re off! You can talk to as many characters as you like to find the vibe that suits you. For those worried about how to get into the groove, starting with a simple ‘hey’ will help the character get you into the mood soon enough. 

So what are you still doing here reading when you could be listening to some juicy audio stories? Go on, shoo! 

Try BLOOM here. A free subscription provides access to a selection of free stories each month, or subscribe for one month at $29.95; three months at $19.95; and 12 months at $10.95.