Meet the Familiar.

The Verge · Beginner ·🤖 AI Agents & Automation ·2mo ago

Key Takeaways

The Verge introduces the Familiar, a new companion robot with on-device generative AI and autonomy

Full Transcript

The guy who put 50 million Roombas into people's homes has a new robot, but this one isn't designed to clean your floors. This week, Colin Angel announced the first robot from his new company, Familiar Machines and Magic. >> Hey, it's okay. Come on. It's okay. You can Don't be shy. Don't be shy. >> Part bear, part Barnowl, part golden retriever. It's definitely not designed to vacuum. Instead, its angles first move into physical AI using an ondevice generative AI model. The robot can develop a personality to try and connect with its owner. You. The familiar was demoed on stage this week at the Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything event where it moved around, meowed, purrred, did some yoga, and fell asleep. Angle said the demo was partially operator controlled, but when the robot ships next year, it will be fully autonomous. Companion robots have a brutal track record. They promise to be your friend, but end up stuck in a closet. Angel's bet is that generative AI can finally make a robot pet feel alive. He also says his will be affordable, and that if you can afford a pet, you'll be able to afford a familiar. For now, I'm going to stick with Gus. Hey buddy.

Original Description

Meet the Familiar, a new companion robot from the maker of the Roomba. The quadraped bot debuted this week at the WSJ's Future of Everything event, and is slated to launch in 2027 for "around the cost of pet ownership." Co-founder Colin Angle says it will be fully autonomous, with an on-device generative AI model that develops a personality to bond with its owner. It's also got a furry coat and loves hugs. What do you think? Creepy or Cute? Subscribe: http://goo.gl/G5RXGs Like The Verge on Facebook: https://goo.gl/2P1aGc Follow on Twitter: https://goo.gl/XTWX61 Follow on Instagram: https://goo.gl/7ZeLv Watch The Vergecast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/40RFRkg The Vergecast Podcast: https://bit.ly/3WQDexZ Decoder with Nilay Patel: http://apple.co/3v29nDc More about our podcasts: https://www.theverge.com/podcasts Read More: http://www.theverge.com Community guidelines: http://bit.ly/2D0hlAv Wallpapers from The Verge: https://bit.ly/2xQXYJr Shop our Verge merch store here: https://bit.ly/4kPCmEc Subscribe to The Verge: https://bit.ly/3FT6n5S Subscribe to The Vergecast on YouTube, new episodes on Tuesday and Friday: https://bit.ly/3I6nJtz If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may receive a commission without exerting any influence on editorial content. For more information about our ethics policy, visit: https://bit.ly/3ZWTlLs
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