companiontypes

Companiontypes refers to a classification framework used to describe various categories of companion entities that accompany and assist users or narrative protagonists. The concept encompasses both real-world agents, such as social robots and virtual assistants, and fictional sidekicks in stories, as well as broader interactive systems designed to provide companionship or enhanced experiences. A practical taxonomy usually distinguishes by function, modality, and autonomy.

Functional categories include instrumental or task-oriented companions that help complete goals; social or empathic companions that provide conversation and emotional support; educational or tutoring companions that aid learning; and entertainment or experiential companions that facilitate games, exploration, or recreation. Modality categories refer to how the agent appears or interacts: embodied robots, virtual avatars, voice-only assistants, or text-based chat companions. Autonomy categories describe how proactive the agent is: reactive (responds to user input), proactive (initiates actions or suggestions), or autonomous with longer-term goals.

Design factors include adaptability to user preferences, personality modeling, safety and privacy, and ethical considerations around dependency, bias, and transparency. In practice, companiontypes guide design documentation, evaluation metrics, and user studies, helping teams communicate the intended roles and interaction styles of different companions. Typical applications appear in human-robot interaction research, consumer electronics, video games with companion AI, and narrative media that integrate interactive elements. See also companion animal, sidekick, avatar, and agent-based systems.