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