AI Companion Robots Are Coming to Life
- Jan 13
- 3 min read
As a Cube insider, you'll get access to interesting new trends, what we think about them and how you can benefit.
New Trend: The Rise of AI Companion Robots
Mohammad Mahoor from the University of Denver created an AI companion robot named Ryan. His purpose is to help seniors be more engaged physically and socially. According to Mahoor, he states: “...for example, ask Ryan or tell Ryan that, you know, I lost my cat or something’s going on in my life, Ryan would try to empathize with you, and ask you -- How can I help you with your feelings?” Developing AI companion robots for the senior community is a recent development. Their purpose is to fulfill the emotional and physical needs of a senior and act as an assistant in their daily lives. While some might imagine these seniors interacting with a robot that looks like an Alexa, AI companion robots can have a physical body that allows seniors to easily interact with them.
In our current state, AI companion robots are comprised of apps and use artificial intelligence to interact with people in a human-like way, such as emotional support and entertainment. They learn and adapt based on the user to offer more personalized, meaningful experiences. AI companion robots have been in high demand in healthcare, mental wellness, and entertainment, with 48% of users relying on them for mental health support and 36% using them for learning purposes. AI companion apps have grown extensively from 16 in 2022 to 128 in 2025, with the current global market projected to reach $13.4 billion this year. Many senior care businesses are using AI companions to cut costs, better engage customers, and provide continuous support.
New Insight: The Technology Behind AI Companions
The development of AI companion robots began in Japan, where they started deploying eldercare robots with government subsidizing in 2015. These prototypes were humanoid robots, weighed 150 kg, and acted as daily assistants. In Sweden, 52% of municipalities use robotic cats and dogs in elder care homes. A study showed how the caregivers reported that residents who had been non-verbal started speaking to their robot pets, and anxious patients became calmer. AI companion robots will likely continue to serve in the healthcare of seniors in the future by providing emotional support, reducing loneliness, and assisting with routine tasks, but they can’t replace human caregivers due to ethical, cultural, and practical challenges.
While AI companions can reduce caregiving workload and enhance the treatment of seniors, they raise concerns around privacy, autonomy, stereotypes, and risks of dehumanizing care. A majority of human caregivers worry about losing their jobs and reducing human interaction in eldercare environments. There’s also a difference between getting emotional support from a human versus one generated by a machine. Ethnographic studies show AI companions fulfilling their purpose, but they often create extra work for caregivers, requiring constant supervision, and fail to deliver on reducing labor. While AI companion robots provide plenty of benefit, their presence can be expensive for senior facilities.
New Action: How Can AI Companions Be Real To Us
There are many examples of AI companions being used to benefit people who need them the most. Eldercare is the most common environment to find them in because they provide the emotional and daily support needed based on the senior’s behavior and mental health. These AI companions have provided great service to their human patients, but it raises questions on the future of healthcare, caregiving, and ethical concerns of dehumanization. Whatever the future may hold, we hope these AI companions are still around to treat us well.
AI companion robots have become a reality in our world.
Companies can leverage AI companions to reduce costs and increase care, although doing so takes careful planning and testing.
Expansion of the concept from seniors to other populations appears to be a logical evolution.
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