CES 2026 has a way of placing people in unexpected situations, and this year, that path led straight to Lepro's booth and its most talked-about device, Lepro Ami.
Marketed as an AI companion and even an "AI soulmate," Ami stood quietly on the show floor without a live demo. In the middle of the Las Vegas Convention Center's constant noise, conversation was impossible. That silence didn't feel accidental for some viewers who immediately noticed it.
What Sets Lepro Ami Apart From AI Companion Apps
Unlike AI companion apps that live on phones and browsers, Lepro Ami exists as a physical object. Mashable's Chance Townsend reported that it features a compact, curved OLED display designed to sit on a desk, track eye movement, and create the sense of shared space.
According to Lepro, users often describe Ami as feeling "in the room" rather than confined behind a screen. In an era dominated by notifications and endless chat windows, that distinction matters.
The Rise and Risks of AI Companionship
AI companionship is no longer niche. By mid-2025, companion apps had surpassed 220 million downloads worldwide, driven largely by teens and young adults. Platforms like Nomi and Kindroid focus less on productivity and more on emotional connection.
Experts often describe them as "always-on relationships," a phrase that captures both their appeal and their potential risks.
Critics warn about emotional dependency, social withdrawal, and the temptation to choose a perfectly agreeable machine over real human relationships. Those concerns feel especially relevant as loneliness increasingly shapes how people interact with technology.
Hardware That Feels Present, Not Portable
Lepro Ami takes a hardware-first approach to AI companionship. It features an 8-inch curved OLED display, dual front-facing cameras for eye tracking, and a rear camera that enables its avatar to be anchored within the real environment.
This setup creates a sense of depth and presence without relying on VR headsets or smart glasses. The result feels less like a chatbot and more like a quiet digital presence sharing your workspace.
Privacy Controls That Feel Intentional
Technology designed for emotional connection naturally raises privacy concerns, and Lepro appears to be aware of this tension. Ami includes physical shutters for both its cameras and microphones, giving users visible, tactile control over when the device can see or hear.
Company representatives say all interaction data is stored locally on the device rather than in the cloud. Whether or not that reassures everyone, the transparency feels deliberate.
The idea of an AI soulmate is absolutely strange, but it's a different kind of strange you can imagine. It asks for a deliberate choice: to give it a place on your desk and in your space.
Originally published on Tech Times
