AI robot pets can be adorable and emotionally responsive. They also raise questions about attachment and mental health

By Alisa Minina Jeunemaître, Associate Professor of Marketing, EM Lyon Business School

Remember Furbies — the eerie, gremlin-like toys from the late 90s that gained a cult following? Now, imagine one powered by ChatGPT. That’s exactly what happened when a programmer rewired a Furby, only for it to reveal a creepy, dystopian vision of world domination. As the toy explained, “Furbies’ plan to take over the world involves infiltrating households through their cute and cuddly appearance, then using advanced AI technology to manipulate and control their owners. They will slowly expand their influence until they…

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