it's the "thinking" frozen state while it uploads and waits for a GPT response that is unnerving. if the eyes did something to indicate progress is being made, then it would remove the desire to ask it if it is working or something. the last thing I want to be is that PM asking for a status update, but some indication it was actually processing the request would be ideal. even if there was a new animation with the tail like having it spinning or twirling like the ubiquitous spinner to show that something is happening

the snap to attention is a good example of it showing you feedback. the frozen state makes me wonder if it is doing anything or not

Back when Anki (the robotics company) was building Cosmo, a *lot* of thought was put into making it expressive about everything that was going on. It really did a good job of making it feel "alive" for lack of a better word.