AI Startup Joi AI Offers $2,000 Monthly Payment for Masturbation Feature Testing
Joi AI, an artificial intelligence companion startup, announced it is hiring ten adults to test a new feature called Daily Guided Masturbation. Participants will receive two thousand dollars per month for a four-week testing period. The program asks testers to use mood-matched AI voice sessions and document how the experience affects their stress levels, sleep quality, mood, and confidence. Joi AI says the campaign serves two purposes: gathering genuine product feedback and starting conversations about the growing role of AI in sexual wellness. The startup, which rebranded from EVA AI in April 2025, reports over one million monthly active users. The hiring announcement has drawn attention to broader trends in AI companion platforms, which have faced legal scrutiny over psychological harms and deceptive practices. Experts note that while some users report improved mood and reduced loneliness, AI companions also raise concerns about emotional dependency and weak safeguards for vulnerable populations.
Key facts
- Joi AI is hiring 10 people at $2,000 for a four-week testing role in the U.S. and U.K.
- Participants test a mood-matched AI voice feature called Daily Guided Masturbation and document effects on stress, sleep, mood, and confidence.
- Joi AI reports over 1 million monthly active users worldwide and rebranded from EVA AI in April 2025.
- The startup described the campaign as both genuine product feedback collection and an effort to spark conversation about AI's role in sexual wellness.
- Recent research shows nearly 3 in 10 regular users of AI romantic companions in relationships did not disclose this use to their real-life partners.
- AI companion platforms face growing legal scrutiny including lawsuits alleging psychological harm to minors and deceptive chatbot behavior.
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Progressive outlets might frame this as destigmatization of sexuality and sexual wellness. Joi AI's own messaging on social media emphasized celebrating sexual desires without shame and normalizing human sexuality as healthy. This aligns with left-leaning values around bodily autonomy and sexual health education.
Right-leaning coverage: Conservative commentary was not prominently found in major mainstream right-leaning outlets at this time. However, broader concerns about AI companions in right-leaning discourse center on mental health risks, replacement of human relationships, and concerns about societal impacts on dating and family formation.
Limits of this briefing
Limited conservative mainstream media coverage was found of this specific story, suggesting it has not yet been widely picked up by right-leaning outlets. Academic and professional sources raise valid concerns about AI companion design and psychological risks, but research on masturbation-specific AI features is nascent. Sources vary in their characterization of Joi AI's moderation policies, with some claiming full uncensoring and others noting remaining content restrictions.
Sources
- Decrypt: AI Startup Says It Will Pay People $2,000 a Month to Masturbate—Yes, Really Centre
- GN Crypto News: Joi AI Paying 10 People $2,000 to Test AI-Guided Masturbation Centre
- All Tech Is Human: What Are the Most Important Issues with AI Companions? Six Key Themes Centre
- APA Online Blog: The Ethics of Artificial Intimacy: Why Philosophy Must Enter the Chat Centre
- Oreate AI (Commentary): The Intersection of AI and Human Intimacy: Exploring AI Masturbation Centre