We are a small tech team trying to bring our Animal Intelligence characters into the human world. Using AI and robotics, we are exploring a simple idea: what if characters were not just something you watch, but something you live with?
Organizations like Disney Imagineering have already shown that characters can exist in physical space in surprisingly believable ways. But those characters are still built mainly for performance—for short moments of entertainment. What we want is different. We want to give characters a voice that can think and grow, and expand the field of edutainment.
Edutainment means learning through fun—through movies, games, music, and stories. It may sound like a new concept, but in truth, it has been part of our lives for a long time. One of the most well-known examples is Sesame Street.
Think back to characters like Elmo, Cookie Monster, and even the big yellow bird. Without even realizing it, children learn the alphabet, numbers, and even their sense of humor. At least at that stage, learning does not feel like studying.
But as time passes, Sesame Street slowly fades away, and that kind of learning does not continue forever. As we grow older, the knowledge we need to learn becomes more complex—too complex for Elmo and his friends to explain. The tone also changes. What once felt playful becomes serious. And in their place, teachers with serious faces take over.
Is this the limit of edutainment?
For the first time, it feels like a real edutainment movement could begin. The ultimate form of edutainment now feels within reach. There are two reasons for this.
First, we now have tools that can explain knowledge in ways that are easier than ever before. Second, characters are no longer confined to screens or pages—they can begin to exist alongside us.
Imagine not just watching a character but living with one. You talk with them, argue with them, and learn from them. Not like a distant, overly serious teacher, but like a friend.
What we are building is still small. We are beginning with the simplest forms—AI-connected figures—and will gradually move toward something more complex. Over time, these characters will sit next to you, read with you, and think with you. Ultimately, this is what we aim for: learning becomes something you live with, something that grows with you, and maybe, for the first time, something that can truly feel interesting again.