Meet the companions.

Meet the companions.

Two white, robot-like devices with black screens displaying two glowing orange eyes, placed on a light-colored surface in a minimalist indoor setting.
Two white, robot-like devices with black screens displaying two glowing orange eyes, placed on a light-colored surface in a minimalist indoor setting.

They’re different because people are different

A white robot with a mirror-like faceplate and glowing eyes is standing on a wooden desk in a room with shelves of books in the background.

Companions that live with us—not over us.

A few years ago, I read a New York Times article about loneliness and aging. One statistic stayed with me: nearly 25% of older adults report feeling socially isolated. It lingered with me—not as a technology problem, but as a human one.

That question led to the creation of Hello Emi. As her personality evolved, something unexpected happened. It became clear that companionship isn't one-size-fits-all. People are different.

That realization led naturally to Hello Hank. Emi and Hank share the same hardware platform but express two distinct ways of caring—demonstrating that meaningful companionship should be personal, not standardized.

Together, they represent the beginning of The Hello Company—AI companions designed to perceive, understand, and enrich everyday life.

A white robot with a black face and yellow eyes smiling, standing on a gray surface in a room with a blurred background of a plant and kitchen items.

Origin Note: Hello Emi was developed from an earlier internal behavioral prototype called Nomi (Noticing, Options and Meaningful Ideas). Many of Emi's earliest learning moments, observations, and companion behaviors were first explored through Nomi. Hank emerged later as the second companion built on the same platform, expanding the vision from a single companion to a family of companions designed for different people.

These short videos introduce the first two companions from The Hello Company. Built on the same hardware platform but with distinct personalities, Emi and Hank reflect our belief that meaningful companionship should be personal—because people are different.

Meet Emi and Hank

Hello, I’m Emi.

Hello. Hank here.

Meet the Founder

Hello began with a simple question: what if AI companionship could help address loneliness not by replacing human connection, but by quietly enriching everyday life? In this short video, founder Elaine Ashburn shares the story behind The Hello Company and the vision that inspired Hello Emi and Hello Hank.