Sex doll Samantha has reportedly been upgraded to shut down after aggressive advances.

It raises questions about the ethics of sex dolls.

Ok humanity, this is where we are.

A sex doll called Samantha has reportedly been upgraded to shut down if she is not in the mood for getting intimate.

As we learned from a story published by The Daily Mail, London-based tech writer Phoebe Weston, the sex doll’s skin will be programed to detect if someone is touching her disrespectfully or being aggressive.

Apparently, she goes into an unresponsive mode if she’s just not in the mood to get intimate, or if she becomes “bored with the attentions of her potential lover”.

Sergi Santos, the doll’s creator, appeared in a debate about sex robots at the Life Science Centre in Newcastle, England earlier this month.

According to Weston’s report, Santos demonstrated Samantha’s ability to shut down as the result of aggressive advances.

MORE: Man gnaws wood to makes himself a stool from scratch

But the inventor, who manufactures the sex robot with his wife Maritsa Kissamitaki, has yet to publish video of these new updates or publicise them on Samantha’s website.

So, we can only speculate as to what this “dummy mode” entails.

Since the story went live, the toy has generated debate on viral news sites across the world as people try to get their heads around the ethics of sex robots.

In a piece for SYFY Wire, Tricia Ennis pointed out that Samantha couldn’t fight back if unwanted sexual advances continued and there were no consequences for those carry on despite her objections.

“There is a very real possibility that they could further blur the lines between sexual objects that look like women, and women being used as sexual objects,” she said.

In his piece for Gizmodo, AJ Dellinger was sceptical of how helpful the feature was to encouraging healthy relationships and that whole thing about, you know, seeing sexual partners as actual human like people.

“While the mode might, in theory, help encourage sex bot owners to treat their robotic partners—and, in turn, humans—with more respect, it probably won’t,” he said.

“There are no repercussions for the person if they choose to just go to town on the motionless robot, which seems like it might be teaching the exact opposite of the intended lesson.”

It's unclear exactly how much these robots costs, but reports suggest it's about $6000.

According to Samantha's sales page, all transactions must be made by phone, suggesting the bots are made to order.

The page also points out that her skin has super neat features like being non-toxic and having a “reduced smell”.

MORE: Bulldog named Zsa Zsa crowned the world’s ugliest dog

But even if the ethics are murky, it seems as if the technology is here to stay.

Trudy Barber, a “sexual futurologist” who spoke at the same debate Santos addressed, reckons the role of sex robots will change in the future.

“When real sex robots appear, it will be in a future where AI is second nature and embedded in all our lives, and sex with technology will be another facet of our daily engagement with others and technology,” she said in a press release.

“As we have become so attached to our mobile phones, so we will become attached to further future generations of technology that are yet to be invented.

“I think that sex robots will enhance real-life relationships for some, and will be the only relationship they have for others.”

Yeesh.

That’s pretty bleak.