On a recent episode of The Guardian's Audio Long Reads*, aired on September 30, 2025, reporter Amelia Gentleman offers a vivid firsthand account of the porn industry's dynamic transformation, drawing from her attendance at two pivotal European conferences.
At the Xbiz Adult Industry Conference in Amsterdam—Europe's largest gathering for adult content creators, which attracted around a thousand participants—Gentleman captures an atmosphere brimming with optimism and entrepreneurial energy, a stark contrast to the more subdued vibe she observed at the same event a decade prior.
She attributes much of this uplift to platforms like OnlyFans, which have democratized content creation by granting performers unprecedented autonomy and direct control over their work and earnings, allowing them to sidestep traditional studio gatekeepers and foster intimate fan connections.
Yet, this empowerment comes with shadows: Gentleman and host Helen Pidd dissect how the platform's saturated market pressures creators to escalate into more extreme content to capture attention and sustain income, blurring lines between choice and coercion in a hyper-competitive digital arena.
The episode weaves in broader trends, including the rise of "stepdads"—a nod to taboo genres that have surged in popularity amid these demands—and the professionalization of the sector, where creators now approach their craft with business-savvy strategies once reserved for mainstream entrepreneurs.
Shifting gears to Prague, Gentleman explores the nascent world of "AI girlfriends" at a dedicated conference, where virtual companions powered by artificial intelligence are pitched as scalable, personalized alternatives to human interaction.
Creators express a mix of excitement for the innovation's potential to expand reach and revenue, alongside unease about its dehumanizing effects, such as displacing traditional performers or eroding the authenticity that draws audiences to platforms like OnlyFans.
The discussion probes the societal ripples: how these shifts normalize boundary-pushing in digital intimacy, potentially reshaping relationships and consent in an increasingly algorithm-driven world.
Overall, the podcast strikes a nuanced tone—celebrating the industry's newfound vibrancy and creator independence while unflinchingly addressing ethical quandaries, from content escalation to AI's disruptive force—painting a portrait of a sector hurtling toward an uncertain, tech-infused future.
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