Their metal frames covered in supple, lifelike skin, a possession of new Chinese companion robots, can offer users an AI-generated conversation or a hand to hold, complete with manicured nails.
The company UBTech says its robot “U1” – equipped with eye cameras, chest sensors and listening microphones – is the world’s first full-sized, ultra-realistic humanoid designed for mass production.
Touted as an antidote to loneliness, the robots are priced at 119,800 yuan ($17,600) for the most basic type and 990,000 yuan ($145,700) for an “Ultra” version with more advanced features.
“Our bionic robots can accompany you for a lifetime,” said Michael Tam, head of the UBTech UWorld brand, on Tuesday at a launch event in the southern Chinese technology hub of Shenzhen.
“She will never betray you, she will always be loyal to you and she will love you unconditionally.”
If you pay enough, the androids’ hair, face, and clothing can be customized to resemble a loved one, a celebrity, or a fictional character.
The U1 men and women can speak through an artificial intelligence tool programmed by the company to offer soothing words if it detects fatigue or stress and recognize its wearer over time.
The product is aimed primarily at single people and those over 60 — a “colossal market” in China of about 120 million and 320 million respectively, according to Tam.
“These people have a great need for companionship,” he said.
UBTech says it has already had more than 13,300 pre-orders, with shipments to begin in September.
– “Warm Market” –
Robotics is a booming sector worldwide, and Chinese startups have surged ahead in recent years, helped in part by their access to the country’s existing supply chains.
The basic U1 can move its head, eyes and mouth and has a battery life of up to four hours – but it doesn’t do housework or cooking, and its capabilities don’t extend to the bedroom either.
It’s not designed to offer intimate relationships, at least “for now,” says UBTech.
But it can discuss users’ daily concerns, remind them to take medication and help detect potential health problems, or even suggest watching a World Cup match together.
Generative AI is also being deployed elsewhere in an effort to alleviate loneliness, particularly among aging populations.
In South Korea, ChatGPT powered soft dolls are used in some care homes, while a light bulb-like artificial device called ElliQ provides similar companionship and safety monitoring services.
Lian Jye Su, a Singapore-based principal analyst at Omdia, told AFP that he sees “value in a companion robot, albeit in a niche market”, such as elder care or mental well-being.
But “they have to pass the ‘uncanny valley’ test to appear physically and emotionally acceptable,” with current models probably too unwieldy to sell well, Su said, referring to the phenomenon in which interactions with artificial objects are so human-like that it causes concern.
– Science fiction visas –
The race to develop AI tools that people trust has raised concerns about data privacy and the risk of emotional attachment to a machine, including accusations that chatbots have encouraged suicide.
UBTech says the data processed by its U1 robots is encrypted and will not be used to train its AI models.
In Shenzhen on Tuesday, the company didn’t shy away from sci-fi associations, showing off its ultra-realistic robots with costumes and visuals inspired by video games and a spaceship on a giant screen.
Robots of all shapes and sizes can be seen in many places in China, from hotels to shopping malls and factories.
The country accounted for 85 percent of the world’s humanoid installations last year, according to bank Barclays.
The government has designated robotics a strategic industry and says that by last year, more than 140 Chinese companies had already released more than 330 models of humanoid robots.
These companies, like their global rivals, are also putting resources into developing physical AI — technology that allows robots to move and interact with the world autonomously.
For now, the scope and performance of real-life use cases for robots using AI for locomotion remains limited, however, with the most impressive displays pre-programmed or remotely operated.
