科技巨頭們也變得萌化了：來認識這些贏得人心的新吉祥物吧！

Some of the world’s largest technology companies, including Microsoft and Apple, are trying to appear more friendly and approachable by introducing new cartoon mascots. These mascots are designed to give their brands a more human touch and help customers feel a stronger connection. Apple’s new character, which fans call Little Finder Guy, is a blue and white figure with a big head. It was first shown in social media videos to promote a new laptop and quickly became popular. Microsoft, which once had the unpopular Clippy paperclip assistant, has now introduced Mico, a smiling blob character for its AI assistant called Copilot. Microsoft says Mico is not just a mascot but an optional visual identity that makes talking to Copilot feel more natural and warm.

There are good reasons why companies use mascots. Research shows that businesses with mascots in their marketing are more likely to grow their market share. Mascots give a company a personality and a face, making it seem less distant and more relatable. Google, for example, has a green robot as the mascot for its Android phones. Last year, Google launched an app that lets users create their own version of the robot by uploading a selfie, so the robot can wear their clothes and copy their hairstyle. Reddit updated its alien mascot Snoo to be more animated, and Mozilla turned its Firefox logo into a character named Kit. Mozilla’s marketing chief says they want to stand out from other browsers, which have simple and cold logos.

However, not everyone is happy about the rise of mascots. Some experts believe that as people become more suspicious of big tech companies, these firms are using cute mascots to seem less threatening. There are also concerns about mascots powered by AI, which could interact with people in very personal ways and try to influence their decisions. Still, mascots can help people feel good about a brand, especially if they see the character from a young age. Microsoft says people have given positive feedback about Mico, but users can turn it off if they don’t like it. One of the most famous mascots is the green owl from the Duolingo app, which has helped the company gain millions of followers. Mascots are not a new idea—sports teams and other brands have used them for decades. Sometimes, there were so many mascots that people lost interest, but now they are making a comeback. Even book publisher Penguin is updating its penguin mascot to make it more fun and friendly. Not all mascots are cute, though; some, like the cartoon camel used by a cigarette brand, were controversial. Experts hope that most people today can see when a company is just using a mascot to sell more products, but younger people might still be influenced by these friendly characters.