EXCLUSIVE: Cloudco Entertainment, owner of the Care Bears brand, has partnered with Gotendai, an emerging AI firm backed by Community Labs, to create an interactive app for mobile and tablets that will feature the bears as “talkative, digital companions with each specific bear offering its own voice and personality”.
Set to launch in early 2026 on iOS in the U.S. with Android and international launches due to follow, the app will feature multiple 3D Care Bears, including characters such as Grumpy Bear, Bedtime Bear, and Cheer Bear.
According to Gotendai, the bears will “remember past conversations, detect changes in emotion, respond to elements such as environment, location, and weather, and even give fashion or interior design advice”.
The Care Bears first appeared in TV specials in 1983 and 1984, followed by a long-running animated series and then a jump to the big screen with The Care Bears Movie trilogy (1985–1987). Care Bears & Cousins, a Netflix original CGI-animated series, launched in fall 2015. In 2019, the brand introduced a refreshed look and mission with Care Bears: Unlock the Magic, a 50-episode, 2D animated series currently streaming on HBO Max in the U.S. and other territories, with new specials also available on Netflix.
“The Care Bears have always felt like our friends, and fans have imagined them talking back for generations, so we’re very excited to bring that fantasy to reality,” said Alex Herrity, Co-founder & CEO of Gotendai.
“For nearly 45 years, Care Bears have embodied caring, friendship, and love for their fans. Now, together with Gotendai, the Care Bear characters can extend that caring mission even more directly, connecting ‘live and in person,’” commented Sean Gorman, President of Cloudco. “We love that this technology deepens the Care Bears’ authenticity and commitment to core brand values.”
With online safety in mind, the partners say the app will be compliant with federal COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) legislation.
“While we are on the cutting edge of AI technology, what matters most is how we use it to make people feel,” added Herrity. “Our platform is specifically designed to prioritize healthy, fun interaction through thoughtful design, privacy-first values, and age-appropriate interactions.”
Gotendai was started by industry veterans from Epic Games and Nintendo. Cloudco’s brands also include Holly Hobbie, Madballs, Buddy Thunderstruck, and Overlord & The Underwoods.