Forget robots that vacuum your floor or fetch you coffee. What if the next big machine in your life was built just to love you?

In our very first episode of Building Blocks: Living Machines, host Rita Yang sits down with Kaname Hayashi, the creator of LOVOT — a wide-eyed, huggable robot designed to melt hearts. Think warm body, expressive gaze, playful coos… and zero productivity.

Also joining is Jenny Lee, Senior Managing Partner at Granite Asia, who has spent two decades betting on the future of robotics — from flying cars to factory machines. Together, they dive into:

• Why a robot designed for affection, not efficiency, might be the boldest idea in tech
• The surprising science of how LOVOT learns, adapts, and builds emotional bonds
• How robots could transform mental health and elder care in aging societies
• Whether we’re headed for an “iPhone moment” in robotics — or something stranger
• Why the business model isn’t about selling hardware, but “emotion as a service”

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