Robotic pets could replace their living counterparts by 2025 as our infatuation with technology grows and more people migrate to high-density city living, scientists claim.
University of Melbourne animal welfare researcher Dr Jean-Loup Rault says the prospect of robopets and virtual pets is not as far-fetched as we may think.
He argues pets will soon become a luxury in an overpopulated world and the future may lie in chips and circuits that mimic the real thing.
“It might sound surreal for us to have robotic or virtual pets, but it could be totally normal for the next generation,” Rault said.
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