A robot walking a robot dog—a scene out of a science fiction novel that is fast becoming a reality. In China, a tech company's humanoid robot playing outdoors with its four-legged companion creates a picture that seems unreal at first glance, giving robots an entirely new social dimension. The robot waves, and the robot dog starts running—this isn't merely a technology demonstration, it is a glimpse into a new era of coexistence between humans and machines. In the future, robots will no longer just be tools, but rather companions by our side, perhaps even having "pet" companions of their own. The future is here, just not quite as we expected.