On May 30, the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2025 hosted the interdisciplinary workshop Friendship with AI, moderated by ZHAW Professor Thomas Keller, and led by Elke Brucker-Kley and Isabelle Stutz. The event brought together researchers and experts from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Keio University, the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ Tokyo), and the robotics company GROOVE X, to explore a bold and timely question: Can humans become friends with AI?

Drawing from philosophy, social sciences, ethics, and robotics, the workshop examined how AI might be reimagined as a social companion. Highlights included a VR-based science fiction prototype developed by ZHAW, as well as presentations on avatar robots for people with disabilities, Japanese metaverse imaginaries, and GROOVE X’s emotionally responsive robot, LOVOT. Designed to foster dialogue across disciplines, cultures, and generations, the workshop also aimed to lay the groundwork for a collaborative research proposal to the Swiss National Science Foundation.

The conversation continued in Kyoto, where the ZHAW researchers met with students from Saikyo Junior High School. The researchers were welcomed with a beautifully orchestrated traditional Japanese tea ceremony and introduction to Japanese culture. The group then led a deeply engaging workshop where the VR prototype was used as a springboard for discussion.

The students’ fresh perspectives prompted reflection on the emotional boundaries between humans and machines, and to reconsider AI not as a substitute for human connection, but as a tool to enhance it. It was a powerful reminder that the next generation has a critical voice in shaping the ethical and emotional future of our relationship with technology.

Between May 26 and June 6, 2025, alongside hosting various events, the ZHAW research team engaged in a packed schedule of meetings across Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto with universities, research centers, private companies, and schools. These included Keio University, Kyoto University, the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ), companies such as GROOVE X, as well as others specializing in virtual reality and metaverse technologies. The team also participated in an interview with the Academic Journal of the Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence.

The stay was highly productive, with one potential collaboration currently in preparation—an international funding application is being drafted in partnership with two Japanese academic institutions. These efforts reflect a shared commitment to fostering innovation, deepening academic exchange, and building bridges across borders for future research and impact.