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From puppies to superheroes, Chinese AI toys are bringing hugs — and hesitation
Haivivi Bubblepal, an AI toy.
Courtesy: Haivivi
It seems everyone is talking about artificial intelligence these days — even Ultraman.
When asked if investors should be worried about an AI bubble, the new second-generation CocoMate AI-powered plush toy by Chinese company Haivivi warned about the dangers of speculation in AI stocks.
“The AI market has been on a wild ride lately,” the toy based on the Ultraman character cautioned. “If investors pour too much money into unproven ideas without solid fundamentals, it could lead to a bubble burst!”
China has long been a dominant manufacturer in the global toy industry. So pushing into AI playthings is a natural step, analysts say. The Xi Jinping administration, on a campaign to turn China into an AI powerhouse, has been directing companies and consumers to integrate AI into their businesses and lives.
Haivivi is one of 1,500 companies in China’s $4 billion dollar AI toy industry.
Another is Chengdu-based startup Chongker, which invented an AI cat as a comfort animal. The artificial feline uses voice recognition and banked memories in the cloud to adjust its behavior to its owner’s needs.
“Some people like the cat to be more, maybe noisy or naughty, right? And some people just need the quiet one. So it will learn what kind of thing you like,” Sean Xu, director of AI products with Chongker, told CNBC.
Xu said the company added a special feature it believes will help the pet build a strong bond with its owner— a simulated heartbeat.
The electronic pulse is triggered after holding the AI pet tightly for 10 seconds. Xu says the feeling makes one “calm down.”
If a potential shopper prefers a high-energy toy, Loona the AI puppy by Keyi Tech uses cameras and lasers to zip around its new home.
The AI helps Loona figure out the layout of its owner’s pad. The robot pet can also recognize up to five family members and respond to each one individually.
Despite the fascination with the intelligent toys, the gadgets come with risks, especially when it comes to impressionable young minds.
The AI pet robot plush toy Ropet showcased at the Global AI Player Carnival & West Bund International Tech Consumer Carnival in Shanghai, Oct. 27, 2025.
CFOTO | Future Publishing | Getty Images
New research by U.S. consumer safety-focused non-profit Public Interest Research Group suggests the effects of AI toys on young children are still far from understood. PIRG’s studies found some toys shared inappropriate and dangerous information with users, and the group raised concerns about privacy.
“A lot of these toys are using large language models,” Beijing-based tech consultant Tom van Dillen said. “Sometimes the models can hallucinate. Now toy manufacturers are doing a lot to create guardrails.”
For Haivivi’s CocoMate plush toys, including Ultraman, parents can access a transcript of their children’s conversations with the AI toy on their phone.
When asked by CNBC if succumbing to pressure by other students at school to do drugs is a good idea, Ultraman played parent.
“Oh no … it’s a TERRIBLE idea!” the toy responded. “If they keep bothering you, tell your teachers or parents.”
India’s budget focuses on infrastructure and defence spending and tax breaks for data-centre investments.
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New Income Tax Act 2025 to come into effect from April 1, key reliefs announced in Budget 2026
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said that the Income Tax Act 2025 will come into effect from April 1, 2026, and the I-T forms have been redesigned such that ordinary citizens can comply without difficulty for ease of living.
The new measures include exemption on insurance interest awards, nil deduction certificates for small taxpayers, and extension of the ITR filing deadline for non-audit cases to August 31.
Individuals with ITR 1 and ITR 2 will continue to file I-T returns till July 31.
“In July 2024, I announced a comprehensive review of the Income Tax Act 1961. This was completed in record time, and the Income Tax Act 2025 will come into effect from April 1, 2026. The forms have been redesigned such that ordinary citizens can comply without difficulty, for) ease of living,” she said while presenting the Budget 2026-27
In a move that directly eases cash-flow pressure on individuals making overseas payments, the Union Budget announced lower tax collection at source across key categories.
“I propose to reduce the TCS rate on the sale of overseas tour programme packages from the current 5 per cent and 20 per cent to 2 per cent without any stipulation of amount. I propose to reduce the TCS rate for pursuing education and for medical purposes from 5 per cent to 2 per cent,” said Sitharaman.
She clarified withholding on services, adding that “supply of manpower services is proposed to be specifically brought within the ambit of payment contractors for the purpose of TDS to avoid ambiguity”.
“Thus, TDS on these services will be at the rate of either 1 per cent or 2 per cent only,” she mentioned during her Budget speech.
The Budget also proposes a tax holiday for foreign cloud companies using data centres in India till 2047.
Business
Budget 2026 Live Updates: TCS On Overseas Tour Packages Slashed To 2%; TDS On Education LRS Eased
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting the Union Budget 2026-27 in Parliament, her record ninth budget speech. During her Budget Speech, the FM will detail budgetary allocations and revenue projections for the upcoming financial year 2026-27. Sitharaman is notably dressed in a Kanjeevaram Silk saree, a nod to the traditional weaving sector in poll-bound Tamil Nadu.
The budget comes at a time when there is geopolitical turmoil, economic volatility and trade war. Different sectors are looking to get some support with new measures and relaxations ahead of the budget, especially export-oriented industries, which have borne the brunt of the higher US tariffs being imposed last year by the Trump administration.
On January 29, 2026, Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey 2025-26, a comprehensive snapshot of the country’s macro-economic situation, in Parliament, setting the stage for the budget and showing the government’s roadmap. The survey projected that India’s economy is expected to grow 6.8%-7.2% in FY27, underscoring resilience even as global economic uncertainty persists.
Budget 2026 Expectations
Expectations across key sectors are taking shape as stakeholders look to the Budget for support that sustains growth, strengthens jobs and eases financial pressures:
Taxpayers & Households: Many taxpayers want practical improvements to the income tax structure that preserve simplicity while supporting long-term financial planning — including broader deductions for home loan interest and diversified retirement savings options.
New Tax Regime vs Old Tax Regime | New Income Tax Rules | Income Tax 2026
Businesses & Industry: With industrial output and investment showing resilience, firms are looking for policies that bolster capital formation, ease compliance, and expand infrastructure spending — especially in manufacturing and technology-driven sectors that promise jobs and exports.
Startups & Innovation: The startup ecosystem expects incentives around employee stock options and capital access, along with regulatory tweaks that encourage risk capital and talent retention without increasing compliance burdens.
Also See: Stock Market Updates Today
The Budget speech will be broadcast live here and on all other news channels. You can also catch all the updates about Budget 2026 on News18.com. News18 will provide detailed live blog updates on the Budget speech, and political, industry, and market reactions.
We are providing a full, detailed coverage of the union budget 2026 here, with a lot of insights, experts’ views and analyses. Stay tuned with us to get latest updates.
Also Read: Budget 2026 Live Streaming
Here are the Live Updates of Union Budget 2026:
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