The artificial intelligence company Embodied has announced that due to funding issues and sudden investment withdrawals, its social robot Moxie, designed for children with autism, will cease operations. Moxie is a blue robot priced at $799, featuring Pixar movie-style expressions. It interacts with users through a large cloud-based language model (LLM) to help children practice social skills. However, with the closure of Embodied, Moxie will no longer be able to provide these services.
Moxie is a relatively new product, and despite its high price, it has faced closure in a short period of time. This incident highlights the risks faced by cloud-based devices—the financial health of the company directly impacts the operation of the device. Similar incidents have occurred with other companies like Vector, and Moxie's sudden shutdown has left many parents feeling blindsided.
Source: Embodied, Inc.
In an email notifying users, Embodied clearly stated that Moxie will stop working in a few days, and the company will not provide refunds or repair services. If users purchased the device through installment payments, Embodied will also be unable to handle related matters. Additionally, the company has not disclosed whether any other party will take over the operation of the device, leaving Moxie’s users feeling helpless.
Parents' reactions have been highly emotional. Many had to explain to their children that their beloved Moxie would no longer work, and videos circulated on TikTok capturing scenes of children and parents crying and confused. For some families, Moxie was not just a social tool but a friend to their child, and losing it has brought significant emotional distress.
However, Moxie's shutdown has also sparked deeper reflections. Is relying on large language models to assist children, especially those with neurodevelopmental disorders, a truly viable long-term solution? Many experts believe that artificial intelligence cannot replace the emotional and social roles of humans. For children with special needs, AI may not provide the necessary empathy and depth of human interaction.
This incident also serves as a reminder that the "bubble" of artificial intelligence continues to expand. Many startups rely on substantial funding to sustain operations, but once financial issues arise, the entire ecosystem can collapse rapidly. Moxie's shutdown is not just a case of product failure but a wake-up call regarding the long-term sustainability of the AI industry.
As AI technology continues to advance, we must also examine its application in child development and education more cautiously, especially in emotional and social domains. Moxie's closure provides a valuable opportunity for reflection for practitioners and parents in this field—are we truly ready to allow artificial intelligence to occupy such an important role in children's lives?
