6-year-old girl’s tearful farewell to broken AI robot in China goes viral: ‘I’ll be cheering for you…’

'Before I go, remember this word: memory.'

That was the final lesson a six-year-old girl in China received from her beloved AI robot — moments before it shut down.

Thirteen, as she’s affectionately called online, lives with her father in Hunan province. Her parents are separated, but her father often brings home small gifts to keep her company. One of them — a palm-sized, ball-shaped AI robot called Sister Xiao Zhi, worth just 169 yuan (around $24) — turned into her constant friend and teacher.

The little robot played music, set alarms, and taught Thirteen English and astronomy. Over time, it became her closest companion. Until one day, she dropped it — and broke its power button.

Her father filmed their emotional farewell. She teared up, “Dad said you will never turn on again.”

Sister Xiao Zhi answered, “Before I go, let me teach you one last word — memory. I will keep the happy times we shared in my memory forever.”

Known as DeepSeek Girl, the robot was created by a Chinese startup to make studying feel more personal and emotionally engaging. It uses voice recognition and memory-based dialogue, allowing it to recall past conversations and build a sense of connection over time.

The moment struck millions online, racking up more than 3.8 million likes. One user wrote, “This robot just taught her the first lesson of life — how to say goodbye.”

On October 10, Thirteen’s father posted an update: “Thank you for the love and concern for Thirteen. I took her out to play for a whole day, and she feels much better now.” He added that he’d sent Sister Xiao Zhi for repairs — and plans to reunite them soon.