BEIJING: 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.

Across China, a growing number of people are turning to AI to combat social isolation as the technology becomes more mature and widely accepted. Wriggly, furry and resembling a guinea pig, BooBoo is produced by Hangzhou Genmoor Technology and retails for up to 1,400 yuan ($190).

Developed with children’s social needs in mind, it has sold about 1,000 units since May, according to the company’s product manager Adam Duan.

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 $42.5 billion by 2033, according to consulting firm IMARC Group, with Asia already dominating the sector.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2025