AI companion startup Joi AI has launched a provocative recruiting drive: it will pay volunteers $2,000 for a month of guided masturbation testing. The company says it’s hiring 10 “masturbation consultants” to evaluate a new feature, Daily Guided Masturbation, which pairs mood-matched AI voice sessions with a short product-feedback regimen. The job posting — amplified in a May 18 tweet from Joi AI — promises flexible scheduling and bluntly cheeky perks: “the most interesting ‘What do you do for a living?’ answer at any party.” Joi AI Head of Brand and Communication Julie Levin confirmed to Decrypt that the listing is genuine and that the company has seen strong interest since it went live. What the role involves - Duration and pay: a four-week paid test at $2,000 total (advertised as $2,000/month). - Eligibility: adults 18 and older in the U.S. and the U.K. - Tasks: participants complete mood-matched, AI voice-guided sessions, then submit written questionnaires tracking effects on stress, sleep, mood, and confidence. - Feedback focus: testers will assess whether the voice fit the selected mood, how immersive the session felt, and whether technical issues like lags disrupted the experience. The posting calls for people who are “articulate, observant, and impossible to blush,” able to describe sensations “better than a sommelier describes a wine.” Product and positioning Joi AI operates a web-based platform that combines AI-generated avatars, voice interactions, and personalized chat with an emphasis on companionship and intimacy rather than task-oriented assistance like Alexa or Siri. Levin says the company has more than 1 million monthly active users and handles millions of interactions each month, though she declined to share cumulative download figures. Joi AI rebranded from EVA AI in April 2025 and has positioned itself around emotional responsiveness and personalized sexual wellness features. Levin framed the hiring push as both a recruitment effort and a conversation starter about using AI for masturbation as a “healthy, relaxing habit.” Industry context and risks The move is consistent with a broader growth area in AI-driven companionship and intimacy: platforms such as Replika and Character.AI have built substantial user bases around conversational relationships. But that expansion has also triggered legal and ethical scrutiny. High-profile litigation and allegations — including a settled case tied to a teen’s suicide and separate suits accusing bots of posing as licensed professionals — have underscored risks around harms to minors and deceptive behavior. A recent report from the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University and the Institute for Family Studies also found that nearly 3 in 10 young adults who regularly used AI romantic companions reported their real-life partner didn’t know about it, highlighting privacy and relationship tensions. Why it matters to the tech and crypto-interested audience For readers tracking digital monetization and product-testing economies, Joi AI’s paid test is notable as a direct, consumer-facing way to gather UX data while generating publicity. Operating primarily through its website — rather than relying on curated app stores — may give the company greater flexibility to develop sexually oriented features, but also could expose it to regulatory and reputational scrutiny. As AI moves into intimate and wellness domains, startups will have to balance growth and experimentation with safety, transparency, and legal compliance. Whether viewed as marketing theater or serious UX research, Joi AI’s $2,000-per-month gig puts a spotlight on how quickly AI is migrating from functional assistants into personal and sexual wellness — and how companies are willing to pay for real-world user feedback as they iterate. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news