Enter the AI-Driven Pet
While nothing will ever equal the joy, comfort, unconditional love, or entertainment value of a real-life pet, some people find caring for a pet overwhelming. Some cannot even take care of themselves without help. While they would benefit from the companionship of a pet, they cannot care for one. Additionally, many people do not live in a location that allows them to have a dog or a cat. Technology has an answer for that as well. Robotic pets cannot entirely replicate the emotional bond formed with living animals. However, they can provide considerable comfort to individuals, particularly the elderly and those with disabilities. The tactile feedback, combined with AI-driven responses, can simulate a sense of companionship and emotional support.
Robotic pets may prove a good compromise for those who cannot have a real live animal for a pet. Robotic pets do not give you the same interaction as a natural animal but do not require daily feeding, exercise, and care. Nor do they run up large and expensive veterinary bills by getting sick or injured. They do not chew your shoes, steal your clothing, or try to snag your lunch off the table. They can provide a type of companionship, however. Because of the introduction of AI to robotic pets, the scope and depth of that companionship show a dramatic increase.
Historically, when we talked about robotic pets, we meant plastic devices that wobbled around and maybe walked and bounced, wagged their tails, perhaps moved their ears, opened their mouth, and said, “Arf.” With due respect to cat lovers, most robotic pets, historically and presently, have been of the pseudo-canine variety. As most species have Latin names, we have labeled the robot dog as robotum canini. Nobody would mistake a robotum canini for a natural dog. Robotum canini had little ability to engage with people interactively. They did not provide the benefits humans have derived from interacting with pets.
As happens with most species over time, robotum canini evolved. Unlike the evolution of natural species, which may take thousands of years or even much longer, the robotic nature of robotum canini allowed a far more rapid evolution. AI evolved dramatically with ChatGPT and Generative AI (GenAI). That allowed robotum canini to interact much better with humans and to even speak to them using various human languages. Robotum canini proved much better at learning to communicate with humans using human languages in a few months than humans have learned about communicating in dog speak in thousands of years.
Several of the robotum canini currently on the market have enough AI infused into their DNA that they can speak human languages, search the Internet for information, monitor live pets, guard your house (video surveillance only), play games, do tricks, and interact with children providing an educational functionality. The robotum canini we have seen, which come with upgraded intelligence and interactivity, continue to arrive in a hard plastic shell. Our current favorite in this generation, Loona, costs $399, can do the above, and functions as a virtual assistant. Like a natural dog, she knows tricks and reflects what we can only interpret as happiness and excitement when you wake her up to play with her.
Natural intelligence (that’s us) figured out that people might react better to a robotum canini that looked like a natural dog than one with a hard plastic shell. We have seen the introduction of robotum canini which look like dogs. Tombot offers the best example of what we have seen. Their robotum canini, named “Jennie” looks very much like a natural golden retriever puppy. If you wondered, Jennie comes with a faux fur coat (no shedding). Unfortunately, the company stopped making the original Jennie and has focused on a new and improved Jennie. You can pre-order the new Jennie, but the company has announced no shipping dates. Hopefully, we will see it shipped in the not-too-distant future. The company has only spoken about new features, so we do not know how much AI it will incorporate into the DNA of Jennie 2. We hope that she will at least have the abilities of the current generation of robotum canini, such as Loona with the more life-like physical appearance of the original Jennie. We consider that a realistic expectation given that the projected price of Jennie 2 approximates $1,500 and that Tombot bills Jennie as a therapy dog designed to help “individuals, families, and communities cope with many health adversities.”
Future Developments and Ethical Considerations
Looking ahead, the future of robotic pets holds exciting possibilities. With advancements in AI, we can expect these companions to become even more lifelike and capable of forming deeper emotional connections with humans. However, this also raises important ethical considerations. As robotic pets become more intelligent, capable, and integrated into our lives, questions about data privacy, dependency, and the potential replacement of human interaction arise. Developers, policymakers, and users need to navigate these ethical challenges thoughtfully.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the emergence of AI-driven robotic pets marks a significant technological advancement that holds promise for companionship, education, and therapy. While they may never fully replace the unique bond shared with living pets, they offer undeniable potential benefits, particularly for those who cannot care for a natural pet. As technology continues to evolve, so will the capabilities and applications of these remarkable robotic companions.