Modern attitudes toward sex have become more permissive, with rising acceptance of fluid identities and a 400% surge in sex toy use, yet intimacy itself often feels more distant. Over half of people now use phones during dinner, and 10% of Brits check devices during sex, suggesting technology intrudes on private moments once considered sacred. While 68% feel comfortable discussing sex with partners, only 43% engage in serious conversation, leaving many turning to AI for guidance instead. This disconnect between social acceptance and genuine connection reflects broader tensions between liberation and loneliness, raising questions about whether intentionality and self-awareness can restore depth to modern intimacy.
In homes and bedrooms across Britain and beyond, the way people approach intimacy is shifting in ways both subtle and significant. More than half of people now use their phones during dinner, a figure that climbs to 79% among Gen Z and 71% among millennials. Even more striking, 10% of Brits use phones during sex itself, rising to 18% among younger generations. These statistics suggest that technology has woven itself deeply into moments once considered private and disconnected from the digital world.
Technology has woven itself deeply into moments once considered private and disconnected from the digital world.
Yet alongside this technological intrusion, a countermovement is emerging. Researchers describe the current moment as an era of Purposeful Pleasure, following decades of sexual liberation and tech-mediated intimacy. People are becoming more selective and intentional in their connections, influenced by economic decline, political unrest, and broader socioeconomic shifts. Many faith communities and pastoral voices are also re-evaluating how sexual ethics intersect with modern intimacy and digital life, noting the importance of pastoral perspective.
Sexual fluidity is also rising, with heteroflexibility spiking 193%, embraced particularly by millennials rather than Gen Z alone. Dating platforms are beginning to adapt to these evolving sexual identities.
Communication about intimacy remains uneven. While 68% feel comfortable talking about sex with partners, only 43% discuss it seriously. Curiously, 15% of the UK population has now spoken to artificial intelligence about sex, and among those using AI for sex advice, 52% prefer it over friends or partners. This suggests a gap where people seek guidance but struggle to find it through traditional conversations. Nearly half of Gen Z and millennials are open to using AI for sexual conversations or advice, signaling a generational shift in how intimate matters are discussed.
Despite these challenges, engagement with sexual wellness remains high. According to data from 1000 participants in a recent report, 99% masturbate regularly, 97% own at least one sex toy, and 74% enjoy their sex life. Stress has been identified as the number one libido killer, yet masturbation and partnered sex both lower stress levels. This growing interest reflects a 400% rise in desire for sex toys, with these tools increasingly framed as means to deepen intimacy rather than replace it.
Experts emphasize that solo touch boosts body confidence and helps people understand their desires, which evolve with life, mood, and circumstance.
Across the European Union, social acceptance of LGBTIQ+ people has steadily increased, with strategies addressing equality in sexual orientations running through 2030. The message emerging from these trends is clear: intimacy thrives when people prioritize it intentionally, communicate openly, and embrace both technology and self-awareness as tools rather than distractions.
