Japan's SoftBank discontinues famous Pepper robots

After seven long years of fanfare, Japan’s SoftBank has decided to suspend production of its humanoid robot Pepper.

The chatty and famous Pepper robots were used in different hotels and stores to greet people. These robots were pint-sized and cost $1,790 (198,000 yen), in addition to rental fees.

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Pepper robots increasingly became famous during the coronavirus lockdowns as many people used these artificial intelligence-laden robots to ease their pain of loneliness. Quarantine hotels, too, brought in these robots for patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19 in quarantine rooms.

However, the production company has decided to put a small pause on the robot facility. "We are temporarily suspending production of Pepper but are ready to restart anytime depending on inventory situations," a spokesperson for the company said. "Pepper has chiefly been a rental service and you don't need a lot of new units."

Pepper robots were unique and were instantly famous as these were rare ‘species of robots that could even detect emotions such as happiness and sadness by reading people’s faces.

This news has come after the company reported the possibility of few job reductions with its European robotics unit. "We are negotiating about the cuts but it will take time to reach a deal in France," the spokesperson said. She also clarified that the reduction was "part of our regular efforts to optimise our businesses" and was not linked to the discontinuation of the Pepper robot.