A new generation of AI companion robots is moving closer to everyday life. At the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), Fu Liyu showcased its cat-head robot lineup, with the compact desktop model GR Nano attracting significant attention for its adorable appearance and focus on emotional interaction.
Unlike traditional industrial robots designed for productivity tasks, the GR Nano is positioned as a personal AI companion designed for desks, bedside tables, and other private spaces. Featuring a soft, rounded cat-head design and expressive large eyes, the robot aims to create a warmer and more approachable relationship between humans and machines.
A Desktop AI Companion Designed for Emotional Interaction
The GR Nano represents the brand’s latest exploration into personal human-machine interaction. With its compact body and friendly appearance, the robot moves away from the cold, mechanical image often associated with robotics.
Its signature feature is a pair of expressive eyes that can track users and display different emotional states through movement and visual expressions. The design is intended to make interactions feel more natural, giving the robot a stronger sense of personality rather than functioning only as a digital assistant.
The device supports tactile sensing, allowing users to physically interact with the robot. When touched, GR Nano can automatically respond with different emotional feedback, creating a more engaging experience.
A companion mobile application allows users to view interaction status in real time and record details from daily conversations and activities.
Personalized Personality Through Long-Term Interaction
One of the key concepts behind GR Nano is that the robot can gradually develop a personalized interaction style over time.
By analyzing users’ speaking habits, communication patterns, and interaction preferences, the robot can reportedly adapt its responses and behavior, creating a more individualized experience for each owner.
As a result, different users may develop different relationships and interaction styles with their own GR Nano, making each device feel more personal.
Beyond Voice Assistants: Building Long-Term Emotional Connections
Unlike traditional smart speakers that mainly respond to commands and questions, GR Nano focuses on long-term companionship rather than simple task execution.
The robot is designed to support casual conversations, provide interaction during moments of loneliness, and create a sense of presence without requiring complicated setup or operation.
By bringing embodied AI technology into a small desktop form factor, GR Nano explores a future where robots are not only tools but also companions integrated into daily life.
Its core purpose is not carrying objects, completing physical tasks, or replacing workers. Instead, the robot focuses on emotional comfort, social interaction, and personal engagement.
Expanding the Cat-Head Robot Family
The GR Nano is part of a broader cat-head robot ecosystem built around the same underlying interaction technology. The product family covers different scenarios, ranging from large household humanoid robots to compact personal desktop companions.
While GR Nano is designed for individual users and private environments, the lineup also includes GR Mini, a larger public-facing interaction robot.
Compared with GR Nano, GR Mini features independent movement capabilities and can perform a variety of human-like dance motions. It is designed for deployment in locations such as:
- Shopping malls
- Exhibition centers
- Elderly care facilities
- Public service spaces
GR Mini also supports natural language conversations and provides a development interface, allowing businesses to customize interactive content for customer engagement, visitor reception, and promotional activities.
During the exhibition, many visitors reportedly approached GR Mini for conversations, demonstrations, and photos, highlighting the growing public interest in interactive humanoid robots.
The Future of AI Companionship
The launch of GR Nano reflects a broader industry trend: moving artificial intelligence from screens and devices into physical forms that can interact more naturally with people.
While current AI companion robots remain an emerging category, products like GR Nano demonstrate how robotics companies are exploring emotional connection as a key part of future human-machine relationships.
With its expressive design, adaptive interaction capabilities, and compact desktop form factor, GR Nano represents a new direction for personal robotics—where the goal is not simply automation, but creating a more natural and emotionally engaging digital companion.