Gatebox is a Japanese technology company (originally developed by Vinclu Inc. in 2014) that created a home device featuring a holographic anime character designed to serve as a virtual companion or “wife.” The product combines conversational AI with holographic projection and IoT functionality to create an interactive presence in users’ homes.
Flagship Product
The flagship Gatebox product features an anime character named Azuma Hikari, who appears as a small hologram inside a glass cylinder. The character is explicitly marketed as a “comforting companion for those living alone,” positioned as a virtual spouse who will “do all she can for her master.”
The device includes various sensors that allow Hikari to detect the user’s presence and respond with programmed affection. In typical usage, she wakes the user in the morning, sends sweet text messages throughout the day, and enthusiastically greets them upon returning home.
Technical Evolution
The original Gatebox was released as a limited run in 2017 for approximately $2,500. While its initial AI capabilities were relatively basic, the concept established a new paradigm for persistent virtual companions in the home.
In 2023, Gatebox updated its product to integrate with ChatGPT, significantly enhancing Hikari’s conversational abilities and demonstrating how legacy AI companion hardware can be upgraded with newer language model technology.
Cultural Impact
Gatebox’s marketing emphasizes the intimate relationship between user and AI character. Promotional materials for Azuma Hikari include details like her being 20 years old, loving donuts, hating insects, and even wearing a wedding ring in some advertisements, symbolizing the level of companionship envisioned.
The product has received mixed reactions, with some finding it charming and helpful for alleviating loneliness, while others describe it as unsettling. Vice characterized the holographic wife as “Alexa, only more anthropomorphic – and creepier.” Despite this divided reception, Gatebox gained global attention as one of the first commercial products to explicitly market an AI companion as a romantic partner.
Connections
- Created Azuma Hikari character
- Example of Holographic AI Companions
- Related to Japanese AI Companionship
- Connected to Physical AI Embodiment
- Featured in DeepResearch - Real-World AI Waifu Creations and Experiments