SwitchBot launches Kata Friends AI pets that learn and grow with you

At a glance:

• SwitchBot has launched Kata Friends, two AI pet robots named Noa and Niko, priced at $700 each with a required subscription plan starting at $15 per month.
• The pets feature on-device LLMs, cameras, touch-sensitive zones, voice emotion recognition, and autonomous navigation — they can operate without Wi-Fi and remember individual household members.
• A six-month free trial of the essential plan is available until June 12, after which a $15/month or $150/year subscription is required; a premium plan costs $400 per year.

What Kata Friends are and how they work

SwitchBot, an AI-enabled home robotics provider known for robot vacuums, smart locks, and smart home hubs, announced on Tuesday the launch of Kata Friends — two AI pets called Noa and Niko that are designed to learn and grow alongside their owners. The company describes them as the world's first on-device AI pet robot that changes based on how it is "raised," framing the product around emotional companionship rather than pure utility.

Underneath their plush coats, Noa and Niko pack some serious hardware. Each pet is built with an on-device large language model, meaning they can interact with users and respond anywhere, even without Wi-Fi. Niko is a gentle, shy gray-furred companion, while Noa is energetic with white fur. Both have LCD eyes with multiple colors, five expressions, and the ability to look in different directions. Their feet are equipped with wheels and a laser distance sensor radar for independent home navigation, and their bellies contain obstacle-avoidance sensors.

The pets' noses house cameras capable of recognizing people and capturing shared moments. Across their bodies there are 12 touch-sensitive zones that trigger responses like waving arms, swiveling ears, and chirping when a user is nearby. When alone, they murmur to themselves. A microphone sits on top of their heads alongside a mode-switching button that toggles between normal, standby (they stand in place and wait for your call), and sleep (they relax their bodies). An included eye mask places the pets in privacy mode, preventing them from seeing or photographing anything.

How the pets respond to you

Kata Friends react to simple voice commands such as "come here" and use voice emotion recognition to pick up on how you are feeling. A cheerful tone will be mirrored with joy; a wave of the hand prompts them to come closer, and a thumbs-up triggers a happy reaction. Their eyes follow you around the room, and they will accompany you if you get up to leave, approach you if you are sitting alone, wait by the door when you are expected home, and even wake you up in the morning with a song.

If you live with others, Kata Friends will recognize and remember each household member, tailoring their responses to each person individually. The pets also keep a diary of their memories with you — logged via their on-device LLM — such as when they were cuddled, wandered around the house, or slept. To take a photo together, you can make a peace sign gesture or say "cheese"; pictures are saved locally in the companion app.

When it is time to sleep — or charge — in their nests, a docking sensor above their tails helps them balance and move around with an extra rear wheel. Kata Friends require eight hours of sleep, and their schedule can be customized to match your own.

Pricing, subscription, and the vet-visit irony

Kata Friends are available now on the SwitchBot website for $700 each. A subscription plan is required to use the pets, which somewhat undercuts the premise of avoiding pricey vet visits. The least expensive "essential plan" costs $15 per month or $150 per year and includes only AI and software access. Until June 12, a free six-month essential plan is included; after the trial ends you must purchase the plan.

A premium plan is priced at $400 per year and includes complete repair and restoration (normally $270 per visit), a free complete health check-up per year (normally $330 per visit), and a free yearly grooming and cleaning (normally $86 per visit). Both the health check-up and grooming services are 30% off going forward after you use your first free yearly visit. SwitchBot notes that the visit costs are estimates and that repairs or grooming under the essential plan may cost more depending on the extent of work needed.

The company also plans to release a "gentle little companion" — a device that will help manage your SwitchBot smart home devices — alongside an official clothing and accessories line for Kata Friends. In the meantime, owners can make DIY clothes for their pets.

Privacy and what to watch next

A SwitchBot representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on additional details regarding Kata Friends' privacy practices. The pets do store photos locally in their companion app rather than uploading them to the cloud, and the privacy-mode eye mask ensures they stop seeing or photographing when requested. However, the on-device LLM's memory diary of interactions raises questions about how much personal data is being retained on the device and whether any telemetry is shared with SwitchBot.

The June 12 deadline for the free essential plan trial is worth watching — owners who sign up early will need to decide whether the ongoing $15 monthly cost and potential repair fees justify the companionship. SwitchBot's broader robotics ecosystem, including robot vacuums and smart locks, could also see tighter integration with Kata Friends over time, particularly if the planned "gentle little companion" device materializes.