1. Surprise: “Pet Care is No Longer Just a Human Task”
Spring 2030.
AI robots were everywhere, supporting human life in countless ways.
However, pet care was the one exception.
“Pets have emotions. There’s no way a robot can take care of them!”
Yuu Miyamoto, the owner of a pet shop, firmly believed this.
One day, his friend Kenichi Yamada, an engineer from a pet tech company, visited him.
“Ta-da! It’s finally complete! Meet ‘PetPal’!”
PetPal was an AI-powered pet care robot.
From feeding and cleaning to playing and health monitoring—it handled everything.
“The era where robots become a pet’s best friend has arrived!”
Kenichi spoke with confidence, but Yuu just scoffed.
“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s no way animals will accept something like that.”
2. The Problem: “Will Pets Accept Robot Care?”
“Let’s test it out!”
Kenichi turned on PetPal.
It gently addressed Yuu’s cat, Tama.
“Tama-chan, it’s mealtime!”
PetPal placed cat food neatly in a bowl.
However—
—SMACK!
Tama swatted PetPal’s head and ran into another room.
“…See?”
Yuu folded his arms smugly.
“Animals move based on ‘emotion.’ They don’t trust lifeless machines.”
Kenichi was disheartened but refused to give up.
3. The Misunderstanding: “Robots Have No ‘Heart’?”
The next day, Kenichi analyzed PetPal’s data and pinpointed the issue.
“I see… It’s missing ‘emotional interaction.’”
To pets, PetPal felt like a machine, not a companion.
Kenichi updated the system and added new features:
- Emotion Mode: A tail-like attachment to move slowly and mimic a relaxed state.
- Play Mode: Laser pointer games before meals to create a natural bonding process.
- Personality Learning AI: Records the pet’s habits and adapts accordingly.
“Let’s try this again!”
4. Breaking the Barrier: “Can a Robot and a Pet Become Friends?”
PetPal was activated once more.
“Tama-chan, want to play?”
It wiggled a feather toy gently.
Tama hesitated for a moment—
—SWAT!
This time, the cat chased after the toy with excitement.
Yuu’s eyes widened.
“…Wait, what?”
After playing, PetPal smoothly placed food in the bowl.
Tama naturally transitioned from play to eating.
“Robots don’t have a heart, but they can learn an animal’s feelings.”
Kenichi grinned, and Yuu fell silent.
“…Fine. I guess having a ‘robot friend’ isn’t the worst idea.”
From that day on, PetPal and Tama’s relationship slowly evolved.
“But!”
Yuu glared at Kenichi.
“I’m not leaving my pet care ‘only’ to a robot!”
“Yeah, yeah, of course.”
80% AI, 20% human.
A “perfect balance of pet care” became the new standard.
