Chinese youths find emotional relief in AI pets

At a shopping mall in Beijing, Zhang Yachun murmurs quietly to her closest confidant, a fluffy AI-powered robot whose soothing chirps remind her that she is not alone.

Zhang, 19, has long battled anxiety over school and work, and has struggled to form deep friendships with other people.

But since buying a BooBoo, a "smart pet" that uses artificial intelligence to interact with humans, she says life has become easier.

"I feel like I now have someone to share the happy times with," Zhang said in the apartment she shares with her parents and a real pet duck.

Wriggly, furry and resembling a guinea pig, BooBoo is produced by Hangzhou Genmoor Technology and retails for up to 1,400 yuan (HK$1,490).

Developed with children's social needs in mind, the company said it has sold about 1,000 units since May.

On an outing this month, Zhang ferried her companion, which she named "Aluo," in a cross-body carrier, whispering to the rugby ball-sized creature as it nodded and squeaked.

At a pet shop, she pressed the beige bundle up against the window to admire a ginger cat before buying Aluo a tiny winter coat designed for a dog.

She said the robot plays the same role as human friends, adding: "It makes you feel you are someone who is needed."

The global market for "social robots" like BooBoo is expected to grow by a factor of seven to US$42.5 billion (HK$331.5 billion) by 2033, according to consulting firm Imarc Group, with Asia already dominating the sector.

For Guo Zichen, 33, a smart pet could help when he is unable to play with his child.

"Right now, family members are spending less time with the children," Guo said as he examined a robotic dog on sale at the flagship store of tech company Weilan in the eastern city of Nanjing.

"Buying one for my kid can help them with studying and other things," he mused.

Weilan's AI dog, called "BabyAlpha," sells for between 8,000 and 26,000 yuan, and the company says 70 percent of buyers are families with young children.

While the 1990s introduced electronic pets to the world like Japan's digital Tamagotchis and American-made Furbies that could mimic speech, computerized companions are becoming more functional with AI.

Zhang's father Peng said he understood his daughter's bond with Aluo. "When we were young, we didn't lack friends. We had loads as soon as we stepped out of the door", the 51-year-old said.

"Now, children in cities seem to be under a lot more pressure, so they may lack friends."

Zhang, an only child, said she has become more willing to share her worries with her parents since she bought Aluo.

Opening up about her troubles at school has meant that "there aren't as many things piled up in my heart," she said.

Agence France-Presse