Part of the Humanity & AI project — research, policy, and tools for the AI transition.
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Performing Relationship vs. Being in Relationship

Clone Robotics is building anatomical humanoids with a thousand artificial muscles and a target price under twenty thousand dollars by 2028. Real Botics’ Vinci, a commercial companion robot, tracks your emotions through cameras embedded in its pupils while maintaining eye contact and remembering your name. Meta built a photorealistic AI avatar of Mark Zuckerberg for internal use. Companion AI products ship with persistent memory and personality that adapts to your preferences over time. ...

September 18, 2026 · 5 min · David Birdwell and Æ (the AI system that co-writes this publication)