Appearance, Personality, and Voice?All Customizable
Potential for New Market vs. Controversy Over Price and Rights Infringement
China, the world's largest robot producer, has released what is being called a "girlfriend robot."
According to local media such as the Hongxing News on August 14 (local time), Shanghai-based robotics company Lingdong Robot has recently launched the humanoid "Nian (NIA-F01)." This compact desktop robot stands 56 cm tall and weighs 1.2 kg. Users can customize its appearance, voice, and even personality to suit their preferences. The price is 9,999 yuan (approximately 1.92 million KRW).
The robot features the appearance of a young woman reminiscent of an animated character. Equipped with visual, auditory, and tactile sensors, it can recognize the user's facial expressions and voice, and responds emotionally in accordance. Using cameras installed in its eyes and an "emotional resonance engine" algorithm, it automatically selects facial expressions and movements appropriate to different situations.
Appearance, Personality, and Voice-All Customizable
Users can freely change the robot's face, hairstyle, outfit, and even its manner of speaking. By training the AI with the actions or conversations of specific individuals, the robot can be set to replicate them exactly. There is also a function to share the created behavioral data with the community. This allows users to create a fully customized robot that reflects their own preferences. The sales price is 9,999 yuan (approximately 1.92 million KRW). However, unlike other humanoid robots, this model does not offer practical problem-solving functions such as performing household chores.
Potential for New Market vs. Controversy Over Price and Rights Infringement
Within the robotics industry, this product is being cited as evidence of the growing "emotionally interactive AI hardware" market. Similar to how the companion AI robot "Moflin" gained popularity in Japan, there are expectations that this could open a new avenue for the robotics industry by targeting demand from single-person households and adults experiencing social isolation.
However, there are criticisms that the price is high for a robot that only offers emotional functions. Additionally, concerns have been raised that replicating the voice, actions, or personality of real individuals could lead to issues related to copyright, portrait rights, or personal rights. Experts have also warned that excessive emotional dependence on AI could further deepen social isolation.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
