The AI Tamagotchis are coming

Meta and OpenAI are preparing new pushes into dedicated AI devices despite the poor reception for earlier products like the Humane AI Pin and Friend. The companies appear to be using friendly, character-like software agents to test whether consumers will form attachments before committing to broader AI hardware ambitions.

The strategy suggests the next wave of AI devices may depend less on raw capability and more on emotional engagement and habit formation. If these companion-style agents catch on, they could give Meta and OpenAI a path into always-present consumer hardware, but backlash against intrusive or infantilizing AI remains a major risk.