At a shopping centre in Beijing, Zhang Yachun murmurs quietly to her closest confidant, a fluffy, AI-powered robot whose soothing chirps remind her that she is not alone.

Zhang, 19, has long battled anxiety over school and work, and has struggled to form deep friendships with other people.

But since buying a BooBoo, a “smart pet” that uses artificial intelligence to interact with humans, she says life has become easier.

“I feel like I now have someone to share the happy times with,” says Zhang in the apartment she shares with her parents and a real pet duck.

Across China, a growing number of people are turning to AI to combat social isolation as the technology becomes more mature and widely accepted.