Social Robots

Jibo - 2018

Anki Vector - 2019

In 2017 Jibo made the cover of Time Magazine as one of the best inventions of the year. His unique and engaging personality made him the first social home robot. He could answer basic questions, and his fun and relationship-building behaviors included telling jokes and greeting you when you come home. Jibo was shutdown a year later. Many blamed the $900 price and the limited functionality compared with Google and Amazon’s smart home devices.

High-profile startup Anki’s robot cost much less at $250. Vector was a charming personality, a little mischievous, and unpredictable. He could recognize and remember you, play games, and got to know you over time. Despite very good sales and generous funding the company went out of business in 2019.

Failing to find a sustainable business model is the major reason for the failure of these and other social robot companies. Consumer robotics is a difficult business because the products are expected to work perfectly and cost almost nothing. Another problem is that the social robots could not sustain long-term user engagement when the initial fun and novelty wore off.

Additional info:

The Robot Report - Jibo social robot: where things went wrong

Fast Company - One of the decade’s most hyped robots sends its farewell message

BBC News - Family-friendly robot company Anki set to close