Group 1 - Traditional New Year goods growth has slowed to 8%, while "emotional New Year goods" have surged by 35% [1] - Young consumers are increasingly opting for emotional and experiential products over traditional gifts like alcohol and red gift boxes [2] - The electronic pet market is seeing a significant rise in interest, with search volumes on e-commerce platforms skyrocketing [2] Group 2 - 58.7% of electronic pet buyers are aged 25 to 35, with a significant female demographic [3] - Electronic pets are being purchased for various reasons, including stress relief for adults, companionship for parents, and as AI playmates for children [4] - The introduction of AI pets is seen as a solution for social situations, providing a way to deflect personal questions during family gatherings [5] Group 3 - The design logic of these electronic pets focuses on "growth-type companionship," allowing them to develop unique personalities based on user interactions [5] - The technology behind these products is advanced, featuring AI models and multi-modal sensors, showcasing the latest achievements in Chinese manufacturing [2] - Major players in the market include both startups and established companies like Huawei and UBTECH, with significant investment backing from firms like Sequoia and Hillhouse [8] Group 4 - Over 60% of "emotional orders" during the Spring Festival are gifts that young people buy for themselves [9] - Electronic pets serve as a medium for emotional connection, especially for those who are single or living alone [11] - The market for these products is expanding beyond niche experiments, indicating a growing acceptance and demand for technology that provides emotional value [8]

Core Insights - The article highlights the emergence of AI as a companion in daily life, showcased at CES 2026, with products designed to engage users emotionally and socially [1] Group 1: Product Innovations - Loona DeskMate is a new product that integrates with an iPhone to activate AI companionship features without built-in screens or cameras [2] - The DeskMate also includes an emotional interaction model and functions as a 180W fast-charging desktop power source [4] - Robie, a desktop pet, can recognize faces and emotions, enabling continuous dialogue and interaction [6] - Yonbo X1 is a growth-oriented family robot that adapts its content based on the child's age and features a personality system for role customization [8] - Enabot serves as an AI housekeeper that can interact with pets, conduct video calls, and monitor home security [9] - AiMe, developed by TCL, is a mobile home smart hub that recognizes user emotions and performs monitoring tasks [12] Group 2: Diverse AI Companions - Luka, a reading robot, can recognize and read from a vast library of over 70,000 bilingual picture books [14] - Ollobot's product line includes Ollo and OlloNi, which adapt their behavior based on user interactions and environmental changes [17][21] - BOOBOO is a flying emotional companion robot that uses AI to establish emotional connections with users [22][24] - Cocomo and Inu are robotic pets that interact through non-verbal communication and physical responses [25][27] - The product "话话糖" is a portable AI pet that can accompany users anywhere and engage in social interactions [28] - Eggi turns movement into a part of pet care, allowing children to learn responsibility through interaction [30] - W1, an interactive robot resembling Wall-E, supports emotional interaction and outdoor activities [36] Group 3: Market Trends - The presence of 18 Chinese companies at CES 2026 indicates a growing trend in AI companionship and educational robots, utilizing advanced technologies like AI interaction and multi-modal perception [1] - These products aim to create more natural interactions between humans and AI, with applications in education, caregiving, and emotional support [39]