We always think of Artificial Intelligence as something evil that could potentially steal jobs and control our lives. But it is not always bad; sometimes, AI simply wants to be your companion. CES 2026 stood out on various grounds, and emotional-support robots were one of them. Although not the main highlight of the show, they made an impact on those attending the CES and ones watching from the cozy comforts of their home.
These robots are integrated with adorable and smart cognitive features, are quirky, and have their own personality. But most importantly, they are companions, emotive, helpful, healing, and interactive. That’s what motivated us to find the best pet robots and emotional companions that spread cuteness at the event with their small size. Nonetheless, they had a larger, unavoidable presence.
Sweekar by Takway
Sweekar by Takway is a one-of-a-kind robot and is too adorable to ignore. It’s a palm-sized robot that eventually dies if you don’t give it attention. The robot comes sealed in an egg that takes almost two days to hatch. Once it is out of the shell, you can care for it like a baby or leave it to die. When you gently tap on the head, the robot responds by making its yellow ears glow. There’s a tiny screen that serves as its face. Sweekar, if given love in abundance in the early days, becomes immortal.
VBOT AI Robot Dog
The VBOT AI Robot Dog can be your true companion, as it sees, listens, and responds intelligently. The bot greets you, understands your needs, and moves around your living room as naturally as a real dog does. Though it’s a robot, it doesn’t feel mechanical at all. Rather, it facilitates natural communication and stays by your side, offering warmth like a real pet. The VBOT features Pinch-free joints, soft-touch protective mesh, and a spacious leg structure, making it safe around children and other pets. Not only this, but it also understands typical language commands such as “fetch,” “follow,” or “find,” acting independently even without a remote.
AI-Powered Vex Pet Robot
This AI-powered Vex pet robot monitors your pets at home in your absence. It follows your cats and dogs around the house without scaring or intimidating them. Powered by AI, the pet robot extracts the video highlights on its own, combines them, and presents them to you as a short video at the end of the day. Vex’s has a low-angle profile, which gives you a better view of your pet’s shenanigans, best suited for pets that are smaller in size. This adorable robot has concealed rounded limbs that drive it forward, and swollen ears to give it a little personality.
‘Jennie’ Lifelike Robotic Puppy by Tombot
Jennie by Tombot is an emotional support robotic puppy, designed for people dealing with dementia, loneliness, PTSD, and any cognitive impairment. It resembles a lounged Labrador Retriever puppy. The robot is embedded with touch sensors all over the body that allow Jennie to react based on where and how she is touched. An AI-integrated voice activation software ensures that the puppy responds to your voice command in the sound of a 12-week-old Labrador. Jennie looks and acts like a real dog and serves as an emotional support for the elderly, helping them cope with cognitive challenges such as depression, stress, and anxiety. You can even name it, customize it, and interact via an app on your phone.
Fuzozo by Tuya Smart and Robopoet
Fuzozo by Tuya Smart and Robopoet is an AI companion that moves beyond your living room. It has a built-in cellular connection that takes the robot beyond your living room. Whether you are hiking outdoors, commuting, or travelling internationally, Fuzozo stays connected for round-the-clock emotional interaction. This cellular connectivity reduces latency, ensuring a smooth and natural flow of conversation. The cute little bot is designed to be your on-the-go companion.
ECOVACS LilMilo Robot Dog
ECOVACS LilMilo robot dog is an interactive companion dog. It looks like a real dog and recognizes voices, responds to interaction, and adapts to its behavior to help develop its own personality. The robot provides emotional interaction for people of all ages. Not to mention, it’s cuddly appearance for a tactile user experience.
W1 by Zeroth Robotics
Inspired by Wall-E, the W1 is an AI-powered robot. The bot features a dual-tread system, giving W1 great mobility across grass, gravel, and sloped surfaces. It has a compact size and weighs around 44 pounds. Despite its compact design, the robot can carry up to 110 pounds. W1 robot heavily relies on lidar, RGB cameras, and additional sensors to understand and navigate the surroundings while avoiding obstacles. It can help in transporting items, following around its owner, being a game host, and taking pictures with a 13-megapixel camera.
LOONA DeskMate by KEYi Technology
LOONA DeskMate is your AI desk companion, combining emotional interaction with office-assistant capabilities. It understands you not by any critical instructions but through context, attention, and emotion. It is engineered to behave like a desk partner that knows when not to interrupt. LOONA DeskMate understands what you want to do, even from subtle actions or incomplete phrases. The robot stays quiet during deep work and becomes active when needed.
OlloBot Robot
Ollobot is a goofy-looking robot that has an elongated, furry neck that’s also warm to the touch. The face of this robot is a large tablet that displays its expressions, pictures, and videos, allowing it to communicate with people at home. Ollobot has its own language, but also displays text on the screen that is meant to be understood. There’s a companion app where family members can directly connect with the robot, see its diary updates, and play games. It reacts to touch and voice, captures heartfelt family moments, and can do tasks like make calls and help find lost objects.
