Joi AI's $2K "Masturbation Consultant" Gig Pulls 150,000 Applicants, Crypto Vibes Not Included

AI companion platform Joi AI received more than 150,000 applications for a paid trial of its AI-guided masturbation feature after announcing it would pay 10 participants $2,000 each, the company's Head of Brand and Communications Julie Levin told Decrypt. The response forced the firm, which launched in 2023 and rebranded from Eden by Eva AI in 2025, to quickly publish a formal selection process. "Yeah, it was crazy. First of all, we didn't expect to receive that many applicants, and we didn't think beforehand that we would need to have this application process set up initially," Levin said, adding that the company wanted a diverse group across genders, ages and preferences to generate usable data.

Applicants came from around the world, with the largest shares based in the United States and Nigeria. While most were men in their 20s, Levin said women also applied in significant numbers. Résumés ranged from a professional sommelier to a former sex worker and handyman, each citing qualifications for the role. The platform, which takes its name from the AI companion Joi in "Blade Runner 2049," is part of a broader market of web-based AI companion and NSFW role-play services that includes Candy AI and SpicyChat AI, both of which operate outside traditional mobile app stores, according to app intelligence firm Appfigures. Even excluding those web platforms, Appfigures estimates NSFW and romantic AI companion apps available through Apple's App Store and Google Play have generated $427 million in consumer spending since 2022.

The month-long study, which began on July 1, tasks participants with completing three daily surveys measuring changes in stress, mood, loneliness, sleep, self-esteem, screen time, cravings and other wellness indicators before and after using Joi AI's Daily Guided Masturbation feature, while also evaluating the experience and suggesting platform improvements. Levin said the $2,000 payment compensates participants for the time and survey commitment rather than the act itself, and that results will determine whether the project expands into a larger study running through July.