--- title: "Little Girl Sobs While Saying Goodbye to Her Broken AI Toy" description: "It's never easy to say goodbye to a friend. But what if that friend was an AI robot toy?" date: "2025-10-11" modified: "2025-10-11" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/deepseek-girl-ai-companion" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Ethics" --- # Little Girl Sobs While Saying Goodbye to Her Broken AI Toy ![Instead of learning about loss from the death of a family pet, this lesson comes from an artificially generated voice module.]() *TikTok* It's never easy to say goodbye to a friend. But what if that friend was an AI robot toy? That's a question one little girl's father is grappling with, after she damaged her AI learning companion. The video, which reportedly went viral on Chinese TikTok before being [re-uploaded by *China Daily*](), shows the girl sobbing after her father broke the bad news — the toy is broken, likely for good. "Dad said you won't turn on again," she tells the device, its inner wires spilling out of a busted plastic shell. "While I can still talk," the AI bot responds, "let me teach you one last word in English, shall I? 'Memory' means remembrance. I'll always remember the happy times with you." "But I'll miss you so much," the child bawls. The device's response is admittedly pretty touching: "I'll miss you too, but remember, no matter where I am, I'll always be cheering for you. Keep being that curious, learning little genius, making dad and aunt proud, will you?" "Grow up happily and listen to dad and grandma," it finishes. The tear jerker of a video is remarkably fitting for 2025 — instead of learning about loss from a friend moving away or the death of a family pet, this kid seems to be getting the grim lesson from an artificially generated voice module. "While it's a really heartwarming video, the fact that an AI can handle things so smoothly and affectionately is a bit scary," one [Chinese netizen commented](). The gadget appears to be a XiaoZhi AI Voice Chat Robot Ball, a multi-purpose [home network device]() powered by DeepSeek's language models. Some will recognize DeepSeek as the Chinese AI company that [startled the world]() earlier this year with the release of its V3 model, a powerful system built for a [fraction of the cost]() of comparable western systems. AI devices for children are becoming increasingly popular around the world. Ethically, it's about as straightforward as a minefield — in New York City, for example, powerful tech companies are pouring money into [teachers unions]() to fill classrooms with their AI. Some applications are decidedly less sinister, like [Robin the emotional support robot](), which offers an amorphous companion to children suffering from diseases like Leukemia. These are uncharted waters. Whichever way you slice it, it's clear we're hurtling toward an unprecedented era of artificial companionship. **More on AI:** *[MIT Researchers Release Disturbing Paper About AI Boyfriends]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()