AI Pets Help Young Chinese Dealing With Loneliness

TaiwanPlus News

Young people in China who struggle with loneliness and anxiety are finding comfort in a new trend: AI pets.

Transcript

00:00At first glance, this fluffy creature looks like a guinea pig, or maybe a small dog.

00:08But it's actually a robot that uses AI to interact with humans.

00:1319-year-old Beijing resident Zhang Yaocheng has found an unexpected companion in this smart pet.

00:19She named Bubu.

00:21Zhang says talking to Bubu about her stress and anxiety over school and future job prospects

00:26has made a major difference in her mindset.

00:29When I say something, I can change my mind.

00:34When I say something, I reflect on it.

00:36A'Luo's feedback is positive.

00:39I feel like I've opened up.

00:43It's not a big deal.

00:45With the rise of social media and a fast-paced lifestyle,

00:48Zhang says she's struggled with communication and building deep friendships.

00:53But this smart pet has helped,

00:55using artificial intelligence to mirror human emotions and provide support.

01:00First of all, you can talk to it.

01:02It can provide you with emotional value.

01:05Secondly, its super-chat feature

01:09allows you to communicate with your family

01:12through its voice,

01:17facial expressions and actions.

01:24Though they were hesitant at first,

01:26Zhang's parents say Bubu has had a positive impact on Zhang,

01:30making her more willing to open up to them too.

01:33At first, I thought she was just buying a toy.

01:36But later I found out that she really sees it as a partner

01:42in communication, a pet.

01:47Sometimes she talks to it.

01:52Maybe it's just a pet.

01:55Maybe it's just a pet.

02:02Zhang takes Bubu everywhere she goes,

02:04the smart pet piquing the interest of many people around her.

02:08And that interest is becoming more widespread.

02:11Many young people in China looking for emotional relief

02:14have turned to these smart pets as AI becomes more accepted in society.

02:19And the global market for these social robots

02:22is expected to grow to $42.5 billion by 2033.

02:38For an increasingly fast-paced world,

02:40AI's role is ever-evolving.

02:42For many struggling people,

02:44these smart companions may be the emotional support they've been waiting for.

02:48That's the case with Zhang,

02:50finding comfort in her closest confidant that reminds her she's not alone.

02:55Fuha Huang and Rosie Greninger for Taiwan Plus.

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