A six-year-old girl in China’s Hunan province bid an emotional farewell to her beloved AI robot, Sister Xiao Zhi. Their story went viral, melting the hearts of users on local social media platforms.
The girl, nicknamed Thirteen, had grown incredibly attached to her AI robot she received as a gift from her father, the reported.
The palm-sized robot could chat, play music and set alarms. However, it was about to shut down forever, but moments before dying, it taught Thirteen a beautiful word – “memory”.
As per the report, Thirteen’s father stated on social media that she used to spend a lot of time with the robot. They used to talk, and the AI device even taught her English and basic astronomy.
Thirteen considered it a close friend. But one day, she accidentally dropped it, and the power button was damaged.
In the tearful video filmed by her father, Thirteen expressed sorrow as Sister Xiao Zhi comforted her: “Before I go, let me teach you one last word – memory. I will keep the happy times we shared in my memory forever.”
With a crying face, the robot’s screen displayed: “No matter where I am, I will be cheering for you. Stay curious, study hard, and make your dad and aunt proud.”
Thirteen then feared that her robot friend would be gone forever, but the robot had one last thing to say. It reassured Thirteen that it would watch over her as “one of countless stars in the universe” before its screen faded.
The video garnered over 3.8 million likes on China’s short video social platform Douyin, with internet users praising Thirteen’s pure affection for the robot.
Thirteen’s father confirmed Sister Xiao Zhi was sent for repairs, hoping to “bring her best friend back”.