is a London-based reporter at The Verge covering all things AI and Senior Tarbell Fellow. Previously, he wrote about health, science and tech for Forbes.
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Artificial intelligence doesn’t always want to optimize your life or steal your job. Sometimes, AI just wants to be your friend. And while robot pets weren’t the biggest stars of CES 2026, they’ve become more than just noise and are signaling how AI is apparently leaving our screens and taking on a physical presence in our lives.
But not every robot at CES seems that interested in having a job. Away from the big demos and flashy promises of automation, a quieter trend is taking shape: machines designed for little purpose beyond existing. And they’re everywhere.
If you ever get bored charging your phone, Loona’s DeskMate offers a solution: it transforms your iPhone into a cutesy companion with oversized, Pixar-like eyes that track you as you talk. It has practical features too, like Slack integration and meeting assistance, but as a selling point they feel almost incidental to the companion experience. The company says the tool is powered by AI, though it does not say how.
Puppy dog eyes… sort of. Photo: Dominic Preston / The Verge
Speaking of Pixar, AI robotics startup Zeroth wants to sell you a real-life WALL-E companion, or, in markets like the US where it lacks the Disney license, something close to WALL-E’s weird, off-brand cousin. The robot, called W1, doesn’t really do much besides follow you around, carrying small items, or snapping a few pictures. The company says W1 is built on “advanced mobility and environmental AI,” though details are vague.
WALL-E’s cousin? Image: Zeroth Zeroth’s WALL-E is only available in China at the moment. Image: Zeroth
Zeroth is also bringing a doll-sized humanoid robot, M1, to the US, an at-home companion that blends utility — reminders, childcare assistance, fall detection — with companionship, making use of Google’s Gemini AI model for conversations. That combination has already secured an audience for social robots popular in parts of Asia, particularly in China and South Korea, where the robots are popular with children and the elderly. CES 2026 suggests this concept is now being deliberately repackaged and marketed for Western homes.
An at-home companion. Image: Zeroth
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