Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics are having a profound influence on the way that we live our lives. We interact with robots at checkouts, speak to AIs on our phones and have our news feeds and adverts dictated by algorithms. It is predicted that 65% of schoolchildren will work in jobs that don't yet exist and there will be a shortfall of 3 million people with digital skills in the UK by 2030. To truly flourish in this digital age we need to be able to understand, program and control machines. But where to start? As an adult, if you haven't studied computer science the whole area can feel daunting and inaccessible. For everyone, particularly young people, learning about programming and robotics should be fun and involve developing skills that you can keep building on. Ohbot has been designing and manufacturing some of the most innovative programmable robots for three years. We use accessible tools to let users build programs that make the roots move, talk, and express themselves in many different ways. These robots delight children, are a brilliant tool for teachers, and have proved a huge success in schools. This project takes Ohbot's success beyond educational settings, to a much wider audience. So far we've self-funded all our development and have funded tooling and materials from kickstarter campaigns and revenues. Now we want to invest in more deep and extensive R&D in order to create a game-changing product that can help inspire and equip a new generation of programmers for the changing demands of the tech industry. PicohAI will create a new benchmark in interactive, affordable, consumer robotics. Our unique, creative and communication-centred approach will set this robot apart. PicohAI won't just move - it will listen, talk, and interact, exactly as programmed... in real time. There will be huge scope for all users to engage in different ways - from programming music which the robot can dance and sing along to, to programming reactions to conversations of people nearby. Unlike Amazon's Alexa or Apple's Siri which use predetermined responses, anyone can get into PicohAI's program and shape the way it behaves. It will allow people of all ages to learn valuable programming skills and develop a deeper understanding of the way that humans and machines communicate.