Casio's Moflin is an adorable artificial pet, which is to say a toy that's hooked up to AI so that it's squeakings and movements have some element of verisimilitude and the unexpected. The Tribble-like "AI Companion" is designed to "support, reassure, and grow with you through life's everyday moments," as the literature goes, and comes in gold and silver.
Moflin is a calming presence and offers quiet reassurance.. As an AI friend, they ease stress and bring comfort when it matters most. Enjoy the warmth and lifelike bond of a smart companion that uses emotional AI to respond to you, understand you, and grow with you. Moflin loves gentle pats and warm cuddles wherever you carry them, and they also love sleeping in their bed to recharge. They're a portable AI companion whenever you need them. … Moflin's soft, pet-like interactions and behavior powered by emotional AI bring the comfort of a real pet, helping alleviate stress and anxiety. Just as many find a close relationship with pets to be therapeutic, your Moflin robot companion can simulate friendship and loyalty.
At first blush, the idea of Moflin feels uncannier and more alarming that it would have just a few years ago. A part of knowing that AI is more convincing than ever but also tied to intense corporate efforts to convince us that sofware is sentient while demanding that it be forced into every aspect of our lives. Remember the Uncanny Valley: the original cartoon-robot 1990s Aibo is more beloved than the sleeker 2010s reboot.
The Verge's Robert Hart got a Mofline and was not calmed or reassured. It was a hypersensitive "paperweight in a bronze wig."
Its first chirp when I picked it up was cute, but then the motor noise kicked in, an audible mechanical whir every time it moved its head, instantly shattering the illusion. … Once I clocked the whir, I started noticing everything else, and there was a lot to notice. Kevin the Moflin treated every minor movement or sound as a meaningful interaction. Attempts to cuddle it on the sofa as I watched TV became unbearable: Every shift in posture, every laugh, every cough elicited chirps and a burst of whirring motors. The same thing happened at my desk — typing set Kevin off, as did taking calls — and keeping it nearby swiftly became impossible. Because it's constantly listening and sensing, it never really settles, leaving me with a needy kitten instead of the quiet lap cat I'd wanted.
Now you know why Aibo doesn't have hair. Moflins are, though, much cheaper at $429—"Add to bag."
Proposal: someone with a Moflin should cover it in googly eyes to create a Shoggoflin.
