Meta has unveiled a personal artificial intelligence agent known as Muse, which can perform tasks such as sending emails, shopping, and booking travel on behalf of its users. This AI agent utilizes various apps to carry out actions without requiring direct user intervention. Upon activation from a phone or computer, a digital avatar named Jolly appears, resembling a digitized teddy bear that blinks and waves at the user. Additionally, Meta has released Muse Charm, a portable device roughly the size of a flattened golf ball, allowing users to access Jolly from their pocket. Journalists have described Muse as “magical” and “cutesy,” drawing comparisons to the Tamagotchi, a popular handheld digital pet from the 1990s.
Adoption of cute AI agents by OpenAI and startups
OpenAI has introduced its own line of personal assistants, called Dots, which feature a family of brightly colored, globular mascot faces that engage in conversations with users. According to OpenAI, Dots will “bring you work done the way you would do it, sometimes before you even think to ask.” Startups are also adopting this trend, as seen with Pickle, a personal AI app embodied in a floating, purple, three-dimensional animal with large, inquisitive eyes. The promotional material for Pickle claims that users will be more inclined to interact and share information with “something alive you grow attached to that remembers your life and eventually acts alongside you.”
While cute designs may not be inherently malicious, they can make novel technologies seem more approachable and comforting. However, this cuteness can also obscure the potential risks associated with AI agents, such as extensive data collection and surveillance, by softening users’ perceptions of these risks. The use of cute designs as a marketing strategy may be the most significant power of cuteness, and tech companies appear to be leveraging it to encourage the adoption of AI agents.
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Evolution from toys to agents with access
Promoting new technologies as cute is not a new phenomenon. Products like Hello Kitty, Labubus, and Tamagotchis have successfully utilized cuteness to evoke emotional attachment in consumers. However, these products were primarily collectibles and did not pose significant risks, as they were unable to access users’ personal information or perform actions on their behalf. The scholars note that when a cute AI agent is involved, the stakes are much higher.
Research has demonstrated that the way technology is presented can influence users’ perceptions of safety and risks. The concept of “cutewashing” can mask privacy concerns and drive the adoption of AI agents, creating a large market. Cute designs can elicit feelings of happiness, trust, and affection, encouraging users to form emotional connections with the technology.
Data collection and trust
Studies have shown that users are more likely to confide in a friendly character than a plain tool, sharing personal information such as moods, routines, relationships, and preferences. Users may grant friendly AI agents access to their messages, calendars, and accounts, providing the agent’s company with more extensive data than would be obtained through a standard chatbot. The cuteness of an AI agent can lower users’ skepticism, making them more likely to grant broad permissions and less likely to read the fine print.
