AI companions from the creators of MSQRD are coming to Sony’s 3D display

People already chat, joke and act out scenes with AI characters. Now Sony and Animation Inc., a startup with Belarusian roots, are testing whether users will want one of those characters on their desks. Animates, the startup’s app, is one of the first four compatible apps for Sony’s new ELF-MN1 display. Sales in Japan are set to begin on 11 December 2026.

Animates characters respond by voice and remember past conversations. An avatar can nod or smile while you speak. Animation Inc.’s animation model generates those movements on the device in real time, so the avatar can react as the conversation unfolds. Sony’s six-inch display shows the avatar in 3D without glasses. One of the characters is already familiar to Grok users: Ani, an animated 3D companion in Gothic Lolita style. Ani joined Animates in August 2026.

Animation Inc. CEO Sergey Gonchar introduced the startup on LinkedIn in September 2024, showing how its animation model works with ChatGPT’s voice mode. On 22 October 2026, he said that Animates had reached more than 230,000 users in the first seven weeks after launch. Eugene Zatepyakin and Eugene Nevgen also work on the project. The three co-founded MSQRD, which Facebook acquired in March 2016. Members of the Loóna team also work at Animation Inc.

According to the SVTR database, Animation Inc. raised $4 million in a Pre-Seed round in March 2025 from DVC, True Ventures, Coughdrop Capital and Elefund.

People are already paying to talk to AI companions on their phones. According to Appfigures data, mobile apps in this category generated $82 million in the first half of 2025. Appfigures counted 337 active apps that were generating revenue worldwide.

Meta is also betting on AI companions. In September 2026, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Muse Realtime Avatar at Meta Connect. Meta’s technology uses an image of a character to generate video as the conversation unfolds, while Animation Inc.’s model calculates the movements of a 3D character directly on the device.

Animation Inc. also works with gaming peripherals maker Razer. In January 2026, Razer showcased its Project AVA desk companion at CES, with avatars created by Animation Inc.