GrowBot Turns a Smartphone Into an AI Robot That Can Grow Into a Physical Body

Summary

GrowBot is a small AI robot designed to wake up inside a smartphone, use the phone's existing sensors to see, hear, and feel, and develop through experience. The project says users can start by waking a GrowBot for free on almost any smartphone, including older devices. A one-time GrowBot Pass costs $20 at launch and includes the app, a unique memory file for the robot's experiences, approximately three months of “brain credit” for thoughts running on real AI models, and future experimental abilities at no additional charge. The pass has no subscription or automatic billing. GrowBot's creators say the robot can eventually be given legs or another physical body. The pass includes step-by-step DIY instructions; the creators estimate that the required parts can cost about $40 and that assembly takes roughly 15 minutes. An all-in-one parts kit is also available, with assembly described as taking under 30 minutes and no prior experience required. The project says it is funded by its community and was made by Brit Cruise and Harsh Dadwal.