When the father of a six-year-old girl in Hunan bought her an AI learning robot, he probably didn’t expect it to become her BFF.

He purchased the 169 yuan (S$30.66) device to teach his daughter English and basic astronomy. 

The girl, nicknamed Thirteen, named the machine Sister Xiao Zhi. The two were nearly inseparable, spending countless hours chatting during lessons, and the girl regarded Sister Xiao Zhi as a good friend.