At CES 2025 held in Las Vegas, Panasonic introduced its innovative digital assistant named Umi, positioned as a personalised, AI-driven wellness coach tailored for families. The development of Umi was undertaken in collaboration with Anthropic, leveraging their Claude AI model and designed to facilitate family interaction by enabling them to "care, coordinate, and connect" more effectively, according to Panasonic.
During the keynote address on Tuesday, Umi was showcased as a mobile application that allows families to engage in group chats with the AI. It is specifically designed to help users achieve their family-oriented goals, such as increasing quality time spent together or enhancing physical activity. The interactive interface also provides various functionalities, including the ability to set goals, develop routines, and manage daily tasks.
This assistant is poised to be particularly beneficial for caregivers of older adults. Panasonic noted that Umi could provide valuable monitoring and support, allowing family members to keep track of their ageing relatives' well-being even when they cannot be physically present. In this regard, Panasonic is collaborating with AARP to enhance this aspect of Umi.
Umi is scheduled for launch in the United States in 2025 and will also incorporate expert community input. This feature aims to assist users in establishing healthy habits and adhering to wellness routines. Panasonic has aligned with several wellness-focused partners, including Aaptiv, Precision Nutrition, SleepScore Labs, Addition Wealth, and Calm, all of whom are part of the Panasonic Well’s Partner Collective. These partnerships are intended to enrich the Umi experience and support other forthcoming Panasonic Well initiatives.
In addition to fuelling innovations in consumer products, the partnership between Panasonic and Anthropic will enable the integration of Claude AI within Panasonic's corporate framework. The company plans to harness Claude as a pivotal resource to enhance efficiency and outcomes in various business functions, including customer service, sales, marketing, and coding, marking an important trend in the integration of AI technologies into everyday business practices.
Source: Noah Wire Services