AI pets and relevant product placement opportunities

CASIO recently introduced Moflin, a fluffy, AI-powered pet designed specifically for cuddling. Moflin’s AI can mimic a range of emotions, from joy and sadness to anger and calm, responding naturally to interactions with its owner. Priced at 59,400 yen (around $398), it’s slated for release on November 7, though pre-orders have already sold out. CASIO also offers a Club Moflin subscription for 6,600 yen (about $44) annually, which provides discounts on maintenance, cleaning, and even full fur replacements.

Moflin, an AI-powered pet launched by CASIO. Image: CASIO official website.

How Mofline, the AI ‘fluffy pet,‘ engages with his owner. Image: CASIO official website.

We’ve covered how many young people in China are embracing whacky pets, enjoying the emotional perks without the daily upkeep of traditional pets. AI pets are becoming a popular new trend in the pet industry, drawing attention and recognition from the market. In China, most AI technology has focused on pet healthcare and smart pet products. As AI pet offerings and services grow, platforms like Xiaohongshu have launched AI pet companions, with many users reminiscing that it feels just like the virtual QQ pets they loved in their childhood.

On Xiaohongshu, users can adopt an AI pet, selecting its look and personality. Once adopted, they can engage in daily chats and even enter a “magic chat” mode. Currently, this includes a “daily horoscope” feature where the pet shares the user’s horoscope for the day.

Users can also dress up their ‘furry friends’ with items from the default wardrobe by exchanging “love coins” for items in the shop. They can even visit the treasure map feature, where they select a nearby area, read related posts, and dig for surprise accessories or limited-edition ones.

The AI pet feature on Xiaohongshu caters to pet lovers who wish their pets could “visit” friends. Users can bring their virtual pets to "a friend’s house" (people you follow on Xiaohongshu), where the pets engage in playful “whispers” powered by AI-generated conversations. Before heading out, users can take a photo together and share it as a memory. It's a charming and heartfelt design that really resonates with users.

Xiaohongshu's pet companion feature has boosted user engagement and created a new interactive space within its social network, working well with existing functionalities. Another aim of introducing AI pets is to encourage more pet brands to invest in advertising on the platform. Influencers/Creators featuring AI pets have already emerged, using AI-generated images to attract potential consumers. Xiaohongshu’s AI pet companion feature has sparked greater interest in AI pet-related content among users, which will likely lead to increased attention on smart pet brands.

Take Xiaohongshu influencer @橙子的橙啦, who has 61,000 followers, as an example. This AI pet blogger features highly anthropomorphised AI cats in their posts, creating a unique contrast and keeping content relevant to trending topics.

In these AI pet influencers' promotional posts, brands or products can be seamlessly integrated into the cats' daily lives, such as clothing and food, effectively turning every item in the content into an advertising opportunity.

Product placements of some milk tea brands’ new arrivals in the AI-generated cat images of the AI pet influencer @橙子的橙啦 on Xiaohongshu.