AI toys: Cool or creepy?

Are artificial intelligence-based (AI) toys cool or creepy?
Amazon.com, © Yevheniia Ryzhova | Dreamstime.com

In the not-so-distant future, you could walk in on a teddy bear reading a bedtime story to your child. Not just any story, a saga customized based on everything the toy knows about your child — their likes, dislikes and deepest secrets. All thanks to artificial intelligence (AI).

If this all sounds a little too “Black Mirror” to you, you’re not alone. I want to let you know that this holiday season, we’re bound to see a slew of AI-powered toys hitting the scene. This way, when the kids ask for these toys, you know it’s not all just fun and games.

Not your average Ken or Barbie

Imagine a toy that learns everything about your child. They can have complete conversations with the toy, and it talks back in complete sentences. The more the kid speaks to the teddy, the more intelligent the bear becomes.

Expected to hit toy store shelves sometime in 2028 or sooner, VTech’s AI teddies are like a cross between a Furby from the ’90s and ChatGPT. VTech co-founder and toymaker Allan Wong says the teddy bears offer parents an alternative to the traditional bedtime story ritual. 

According to Wong, the AI-powered bears would use chatbot-style technology to create customized tales for their child handlers. Beyond basic information collected by the toy, they may also capture school and home locations and sensitive data about mom and dad. 

While the concept is innovative, the same privacy concerns plaguing adult smart devices apply to these new toys. Whenever a toy has recording capabilities, the data is stored, analyzed and often shared for a price with third-party buyers. 

What else is out there? 

VTech isn’t the only toy company going all-in on AI. There are many concerning toys already on the market. Parents Together, a non-profit out of Washington, D.C., put together a list and here are some of the most eyebrow-raising items:

  • Designed for kids 13 and up, the Meta Quest VR Headset raises alarm bells. Not only does it provide kids with access to virtual strip clubs (big yikes), the headset is equipped with a camera and mic that may capture what goes on inside your home.
  • The KidKraft Amazon Kitchen comes fully loaded with Alexa Skills, a series of third-party apps to make Amazon’s Alexa do just about anything. The problem? These apps aren’t bound to any actual privacy policies. Many collect, use and sell your child’s voice and data to anyone who wants it.
  • eKids’ Paw Patrol Walkie-Talkies sure are cute, but buyer beware. Some parents have reported horrific incidents, including their kids communicating with strangers, aka predators. 

Several other toys made the list. You can check them out here.

Keeping play private

It’s impractical to try to avoid AI toys altogether, as they’re quickly becoming a household norm. However, there are things you can do to stay safe. First and foremost, make sure toys are age-appropriate for your kids and research all safety risks before committing to a purchase.

Know the features of your kids’ toys inside and out and disable things like cameras and chat functionalities, if possible. Also, take advantage of parental controls on the toys and always read the gadget’s privacy policy.

Speaking of kiddos, head here to read up on the do’s and don’ts of posting pics of your children on social media.

Tags: AI (artificial intelligence), Amazon, holiday season, parental controls, privacy, smart devices, toys