AI can almost be found everywhere these days, but most people will probably be familiar with generative AI like ChatGPT. These are mostly encountered in computers and phones because that’s where they make the most sense, but their applications can definitely go beyond that limited scope. These conversational AI can, for example, be embedded anywhere that has a computer, a microphone, and a speaker, which can literally be any object you can imagine.

Yes, it might result in an odd combination that challenges your notions of what AI chatbots can do for you. This smart tea set concept, for example, is a rather intriguing example of this idea, weaving technology, tea-drinking rituals, and social bonds in an unexpected way.

Designers: Kevin Tang, Kelly Fang

ChatGPT and others like it have started to approach the so-called “uncanny valley” in a totally non-visual way. The responses they give sound or read so naturally that it really takes an expert to distinguish it from human output. Talking to these chatbots almost feels like talking to someone, perhaps a friend who is willing to hear how your day went.

That’s the kind of experience that gpTea, a play on the brewed drink and this type of generative AI, wants to bring in a rather novel way. As a smart tea set, it not only brews tea but even tips the kettle forward to automatically pour the drink into a specially designed cup. Impressive as that may seem, that’s not even its most notable feat.

gpTea’s key feature is actually in interactive storytelling that weaves the responses of friends and family separated by distance and connected only through the Internet using this smart tea set. It asks you how your day went and, depending on your response, it might share a similar story given by another friend or loved one in the past. The more people use it, the bigger and longer the narrative grows. It’s almost like developing an oral tradition or history, except one that’s stored in the memory of an AI.

Another interesting feature of gpTea is the glass cup itself, which has a circular display at the bottom. The AI also generates images related to the story it’s telling, making it feel like you’re using magic to see the scene inside the cup. Admittedly, it’s a rather convoluted and complex way of sharing stories with friends when you can just talk to each other, but it’s still an interesting application of AI that actually tries to build connections between humans who are physically far apart.

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