The prospect of AI pets

There is a lot of talk about artificial intelligence these days. This is not surprising, as AI technology is now at its peak and many international companies are turning to artificial intelligence in search of more advanced and automated technologies. But artificial intelligence is also being introduced into everyday life. The prospect of pets with artificial intelligence is not far off.

Back in 1999, Sony launched the AIBO robotic pet, positioned as an alternative to a real pet. When it came out, it was thought to be very sophisticated technology but, in fact, had little in common with a real animal. SONY’s current AIBO dog offering is the epitome of artificial intelligence, the internet, and cloud technology. It can mimic the behavior of a real dog and develop its personality based on its environment, interacting with people. AIBO uses cloud computing technology to store the memories and personality traits it develops. AIBO also connects to the internet and uses built-in sensors and actuators to display/understand emotions, detect sounds and perform actions that dogs will perform.
But SONY is not the only company using robotic technology for pets. ROOBO’s DOMGY pet robot has just recently hit the market. It also includes artificial intelligence and sensors that mimic the behavior of real pets.

A special place among AI robots is occupied by Leonardo, developed by Personal Robots Group in collaboration with Stan Winston Studios. This cute animal is now one of the most expensive pet robots, it uses AI to communicate and learn, is particularly expressive, and can communicate using different facial and arm movements. Its reality is almost believable.
The process of developing new AI pets does not standstill. Accordingly, we are beginning to wonder what impact these pets will have on our society in the near future. They are certainly easier to care for than a real pet. They don’t need food, medication, or vet visits. But at the same time, they give people real emotions and companionship. Robotic pets are becoming more and more realistic every year, so scientists are confident that they will eventually be able to reliably replace real pets. This could be very useful for people with allergies or who are physically unable to devote sufficient attention to their pets.