AI moves into the real world as companion robots and pets
TL;DR
AI is transitioning from screens to physical forms like companion robots and pets, as seen at CES 2026, where devices such as robot pets and smart appliances showcase this trend.
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Artificial intelligence doesn't always want to optimize your life or steal your job. Sometimes, AI just wants to be your friend. And while robot pets weren't the biggest stars of CES 2026, they've become more than just noise and are signaling how AI is apparently leaving our screens and taking on a physical presence in our lives.
To be clear, there's no shortage of purpose-built machines on display in Las Vegas: there's Samsung's voice-controlled refrigerator, Bosch's Alexa Plus-powered AI barista, and smarter robovacs like Narwal's earring-finding Flow 2 or Anker's Eufy S2, which moonlights as an aromatherapy diffuser - all promising to au …