Japan’s Kanematsu Corporation and Intuition Robotics announced today a partnership to co-develop a Japanese market version of Intuition’s AI companion robot ElliQ, providing emotional support, ...

Apple is still hard at work on becoming a relevant player in AI. The latest missive from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg suggests that Apple is shifting its artificial intelligence goals to center on new ...

Sharp has announced a cute new pocket-sized AI device called “Poketomo,” designed to be your smart companion for daily chats and emotional support. The device launches in Japan this November and comes ...

Usage is growing fast. Maoxiang (“catbox”), the biggest companionship app in China, has around 1.2m monthly active users on Apple devices, reckons SensorTower, a market-intelligence firm. And 42% of ...

In her tiny sunlit Seoul apartment, Kim Jeong-ran sat on her bed, talking affectionately to a cloth doll perched on her lap. “Hyodol, you’re my lovely granddaughter,” the 81-year-old said, cupping the ...

Whatever your views on AI, and there are some extreme ones out there, if history tells us anything, it’s probably that our views matter not. There was a point in time where computers were going to ...

Many teens are forming emotional connections with AI companions because they feel lonely, curious, or want a place to feel heard. These tools can seem comforting, but they may share unsafe advice, ...

What if the future wasn’t just a distant dream but standing right in front of you, walking, talking, and even helping with your daily tasks? Meet Figure 03, a new humanoid robot that promises to ...

It’s never easy to say goodbye to a friend. But what if that friend was an AI robot toy? That’s a question one little girl’s father is grappling with, after she damaged her AI learning companion. The ...

Editor’s Note: Help is available if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters. In the US: Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Globally: The ...