AmiSight 6/23: The Next AI Battle May Be for Your Heart
- Ami Kassar
- Jun 23
- 1 min read
Most conversations about AI focus on productivity, jobs, or cybersecurity. But a Wall Street Journal article highlights a different risk: emotional attachment.
A new generation of AI-powered home robots is being designed not just to help us, but to bond with us. One example is "The Familiar," a furry, dog-sized robot created by iRobot founder Colin Angle. Unlike a Roomba, its primary purpose is companionship. It follows family members around the house, learns routines, and is designed to become part of daily life.
The technology itself isn't the most interesting part. Human behavior is.
History shows that people quickly form emotional connections with machines. Owners held funerals when Sony discontinued its robotic dog, AIBO. People name their Roombas, talk to them, and treat them like pets. As AI makes robots more lifelike and responsive, those attachments will only deepen.
The business implication is significant. For decades, technology companies sold us tools. Increasingly, they will sell us relationships. The companies that win won't just have the best AI—they'll have the deepest understanding of human psychology.
That's where the opportunity and the risk intersect. When consumers become emotionally attached to a product, switching costs rise dramatically. But so does the responsibility of the companies that control those relationships.
The next great AI platform may not live on your phone or computer. It may be waiting for you when you walk through your front door.
Comments