The search for “sexy” content for virtual reality can generate some issues if the avatar of a mischievous “virtual girl” seems to strengthen the stereotypes that see women like sexual objects.

A Chinese firm, iQiyi (Baidu group), which a few days ago launched a virtual assistant, Vivi, described as a “flirtatious secretary”, discovered it at its own expense.

iQiyi already put Vivi offline

Contacted by Wall Street Journal trying to find out if the handsome avatar could strengthen sexual stereotypes against women, iQiyi preferred a few hours later pulled the avatar offline, specifying in a note that this was a “beta-testing version of the product designed to gather users’ feedback”.

Having noticed the issue raised by media, iQiyi has already put the product offline “for further modification” and apologized “for the concerns it might have raised”. The story of iQiyi’s avatar was pretty winding so far: already announced last March as a “girlfriend assistant powered by artificial intelligence technology”, in October was redesigned as a “flirtatious office secretary”.

From girlfriend to sexy virtual assistant

A development that the market liked since Vivi had gotten almost unanimously positive reviews after its launch. Some users, for instance, liked the possibility that Vivi could “carry out sexy dances, with a charming shape, just for you”.

Vivi actually should have just lead users to look at the corporation’s content thanks to a video that they have seen before. Besides on request Vivi, scantily dressed, was able to flirt with the users who were wearing a VR headset, to perform sensual dances, provide information on weather and on television programs timetable or to finish the missing pieces of a poem.

Poor Vivi, a victim of her success

All these were greatly appreciated by the first ones who tested it, but which looked like strengthen sexist stereotypes and ended up creating too may controversy Vivi may have been able to continue its beta-testing.

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