SwitchBot's New AI Pets Respond to Your Behavior, Won't Pee on the Carpet

▤ Summary

SwitchBot launched Kata Friends, two AI pet robots named Noa and Niko that combine cameras, sensors, wheels and an on-device LLM to interact with users and remember experiences. The pets respond to voice, gestures and emotional tone, recognize individual household members, store photos locally in a companion app, and operate offline thanks to on-device AI. SwitchBot sells the robots for $700 and requires a subscription for AI and software access (starting at $15/month or $150/year), with a premium tier offering repair and grooming services. The company highlights privacy controls like a physical eye mask and local photo storage, and plans accessories and additional companion devices for its smart-home lineup.

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