I guess the closest example of people treating robots as live friends/pets we saw 40 years ago with Star Wars. All those droids - R2D2, C3PO and modern BB-8 - they were naturally presented as fellows. You would be worrying about them to not get damaged the same way as you would for main characters. They felt conscious.
on AI robotic pets will become as common as traditional pets within 6-8 yearsMay 15, 2026