AI continues to infiltrate everything we do. While some are worried about the lasting effects of AI exposure on our minds, others are looking for new ways to capitalize on the trend and improve technology, including in robotics. One of the latest AI-powered robots to hit the market is an AI robotic dog that’s certainly reminiscent of the kids’ toy we used to see on store shelves. But there’s one major difference: This robot can be trained.
Unlike the flame-throwing robot dogs that went on sale in 2024, Hengbot, the developer behind the new robot –- which is called Sirius -– says that this new dog runs off a large language model that enables it to embody man’s best friend perfectly. The robot is capable of “rich behaviors” and “agile movements,” just like a real animal. Seeing it in action in YouTube videos, it is certainly an intriguing design that seems to emulate a dog effectively, despite looking like those little toy robot dogs that came out years ago.
The world’s first trainable AI robotic dog
Hengbot claims on its Kickstarter page that Sirius is the world’s first trainable AI robotic dog. We’ve seen other robotic dogs, of course, including China’s rifle-toting robot dog, which can carry a weapon into combat scenarios. But, if Hengbot’s claims are true, Sirius is one of the first to offer a fully-trainable option for consumers.
The robotic dog is currently only available as a reward for backing the company’s Kickstarter campaign, which has around a month to go. It’s already reached far more than the pledge goal that the company set forth, but as with any Kickstarter, the pledge amount doesn’t always result in a successful product. While there are some early bird specials going on at the moment, Sirius will only cost as much as a high-end smartphone like the iPhone 16 Pro Max when all is said and done.
The company says that it plans to retail the robotic dogs for around $1,299, with higher-end models of the dog available for $1,599 and up. Sirius has yet to reveal a date for when the robotic dog will be available on any major storefront, though the Kickstarter has an estimated delivery of October 2025 for all rewards.
Created with three main goals in mind
Hengbot says that when the engineers behind Sirius set out to create their trainable AI robotic dog, they had three major goals in mind. First, the robot had to have a unique “digital life.” It had to feel like a real companion that could respond with logic and warmth. Second, the experience could not just be an exclusive luxury for the super-rich. And third, the companion needed to be light and compact enough to see the world by your side -– like a real pet.
And just like any real dog, Sirius can even bob and weave between your legs as you walk, if you really want that. The company says it’s designed to learn and stay out of your way, but we all know how well that works with actual dogs. If you’re interesting in a metallic companion that embodies a dog, but won’t jam wireless networks during police raids, Sirius might just be the best bet for you.
Hengbot says that Sirius is just the “first star” in what it is calling the Hengbot universe. So, who knows, perhaps we’ll be able to adopt robotic cats sometime in the future, too.
