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The former iRobot CEO and mastermind behind the Roomba is back with a new robotic concept, but it’s not a home appliance. Colin Angell, now CEO and co-founder of Familiar Machines & Magic, has revealed his next project: AI robotic pets.
As I mentioned earlier this week before Edgethe AI robot companions known as Familiars were unveiled at the Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything conference. The “familiar” is like a stuffed toy with a microphone, vision and sound system. It has a plush coat and stands on four legs, and is intended for social interaction and companionship – similar to having a real pet.
the The company’s website describes Familiars As the ideal companion for those who want a pet but cannot have one. The robots are meant to be non-judgmental listeners, engaging children in play and responding affectionately (such as mumbling and tail wagging) based on body language, facial expressions and tone of voice.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Familiar Machines & Magic told CNET that acquiring the Familiar “has nothing to do with replacing pets.”
“Pets and family do very different things, and families can benefit from one or both,” the spokesperson said, noting that those who would benefit most are “people who value having emotional intelligence in the home and don’t wait for science fiction to come along.”
These robots are supposed to appear natural and emotionally intelligent, have their own personalities and the ability to learn and adapt to the environment and habits of the people around them, according to a statement. Family members know your patterns and will encourage you to break bad habits, such as spending too much time on your phone.
According to The Verge, Angle told the publication that Familiars also can’t lie. “By design, it will avoid giving factual advice about things it probably shouldn’t be giving factual advice about,” he said. Instead, he will communicate with you through nonverbal sounds and body language.
As with any AI-powered feature or device, privacy concerns arise. According to a statement, the company plans to keep your data private by avoiding cloud-based AI systems. Instead, the data remains on the device. The company states that it has clear data management barriers for its systems intended for daily use.
Although the cost of Familiars is unclear, it will be available next year, and those interested in reserving their own robot pet can Join the waiting list On the site.
This isn’t the first time sentient or human-like bots have entered the chat. Only since the end of last year, humanoids Home use debuted at CES 2026, Agility Robotics Create robots for use in factories and warehouses The First Lady came out with a humanoid robot, Figure 03 During the Global Alliance Summit to Promote the Future Together to promote the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom.