This year’s CES unveiled a revolution in personal technology AI companion toys that don’t just respond they empathize, evolve, and inhabit the emotional landscape of their owners.
Chinese enterprises dominated the category, accounting for over 80% of the 60 pioneering companies showcasing innovations in this nascent yet rapidly expanding sector.
For 27-year-old Nancy Liu the experience is profoundly personal. “It feels as though something is awaiting me, devoid of judgment or haste simply present,” she shared.
A standout innovation was “Sweekar,” introduced as the world’s first AI pocket pet with physical life-stage evolution. Developed by Shenzhen’s Takway.AI, the palm-sized device progresses through four stages egg, infant, adolescent, and adult while simulating warmth and respiration, enhancing its realism and emotional authenticity.
“The physical metamorphosis mirrors the AI companion’s emotional maturation,” explained Takway CEO Irving Gao Irving GaoThe device is set to launch via crowdfunding this spring, priced between $150 and $200.
Market analytics underscore a meteoric surge in demand. Taobao recorded a 1,600% spike in AI toy transactions in 2025 while JD.com’s sales reached nearly 700 million yuan ($100 million).
“AI-infused toys represent an emergent driver of contemporary consumerism,” noted Jiang Han, senior analyst at Pangoal. He emphasized the sector’s cross-generational appeal, from children to Gen Z and seniors, each seeking bespoke emotional engagement.
JD.com, for example, retails a “chatty parrot” robot for the elderly, priced at 159 yuan, fluent in regional dialects and programmed with health reminders. Meanwhile, Robopoet’s plush “Fuzozo” captivated younger audiences, topping charts during the Double 11 festival with its interactive purring.
The ascendance of emotional AI signals a paradigm shift, fusing technological ingenuity with human empathy, and unlocking unprecedented avenues for immersive, affective experiences.
