In a shopping mall in Beijing, Zhang Yachun murmurs softly about her closest confidant, a fluffy AI-powered robot whose soothing chirping reminds her that she is not alone. Zhang, 19, has long struggled with anxiety about school and work and struggled to form deep friendships with other people. But since purchasing Booboo, a “smart pet” that uses artificial intelligence to interact with humans, she says life has become easier.
“I feel like now I have someone to share my happy moments with,” Zhang told AFP in the apartment he shares with his parents and a real pet duck.
Across China, increasing numbers of people are turning to AI to combat social isolation as the technology becomes more mature and widely accepted.
The squishy, furry and guinea pig-like BooBoo is manufactured by Hangzhou Genmoor Technology and sells for up to 1,400 yuan ($190).
Developed with children’s social needs in mind, nearly 1,000 units have been sold since May, according to Adam Duan, the company’s product manager.
On a walk this month, Zhang cradled his companion, whom he named “Aluo,” in a cross-body carrier, and watched the rugby ball-sized creature whimper, nod and coo.
At a pet store, she pressed the beige bundle against the window to admire a ginger cat before buying an Aluo short winter coat designed for a dog.
He said the robot plays the same role as human friends, “(It) makes you feel like you’re someone who is needed.”
robot boom
According to consulting firm IMARC Group, the global market for “social robots” like BooBoo is expected to grow sevenfold to $42.5 billion by 2033, with Asia already dominating the region.
For 33-year-old Guo Zichen, a smart pet can help when she is unable to play with her child.
“At the moment, family members are spending less time with children,” Guo said while examining a robotic dog available for sale at tech company Weilan’s flagship store in the eastern city of Nanjing.
He thought, “Buying this for my child can help him in studies and other things.”
Weilan’s AI dog, called “BabyAlpha”, sells for between 8,000 ($1090) and 26,000 yuan ($3,500), and the company says 70 percent of buyers are families with young children.
But Guo said he doubts whether an electronic puppy can provide as much happiness as a real dog.
“The biggest difference is that dogs have souls, whereas (BabyAlpha) looks different in an indescribable way,” he said.
“Overall, you feel like it doesn’t resemble the real thing.”
changing society
While the 1990s introduced the world to electronic pets such as Japan’s digital Tamagotchis and American-made Furbies that could mimic speech, computerized companions are becoming more functional with AI.
A growing number of AI products in China address people’s emotional needs, ranging from conversational chatbots to lifelike avatars of the dead.
According to experts, social changes such as the impact of the government’s decades-old one-child policy are helping the market grow.
People born in the early years of the policy are now turning 40 and facing an economy burdened by rising house prices, higher living costs and increased work stress, making it difficult for them to focus on their children. Capacity is decreasing.
This, in turn, “leaves little room for personal interaction, leading people to seek alternative ways to satisfy their emotional needs,” said Wu Haiyan, a professor specializing in AI and psychology at the University of Macau. goes”.
AI companions provide cognitive stimulation, “enhancing the well-being of individuals who may otherwise feel isolated,” Wu said.
He further said, in some cases people show more trust in AI than humans.
same inside too
Zhang’s father Peng said he understood his daughter’s relationship with Aluo.
“When we were young, we had no shortage of friends. We had a lot of friends as soon as we left the house,” the 51-year-old told AFP.
“Now, children in cities are under a lot of pressure, so they may lack friends.”
Zhang, an only child, said since she bought Aluo, she has become more willing to share her concerns with her parents.
Opening up about her troubles at school means “I don’t have as much stuff in my heart,” she said.
People of her generation often struggle to communicate face-to-face, Zhang said, adding that they may be “afraid” to express who they are. “But what they feel inside hasn’t changed”, she said as she placed Aluo in her lap.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
