Donna Rice Hughes of Enough Is Enough, an advocacy group pushing to make the internet safer for children and families, says it is dangerous to infuse toys with artificial intelligence.
"AI toys are definitely here, and they are on the market," she recognizes. "Many of them are empowered by the same AI technology that has already been causing a lot of problems and proven to be dangerous and unsafe for kids."
Hughes says AI companions, for example, are basically chatbots that have been programmed by AI companies to mirror someone's questions to show sympathy and empathy.
"When that very same technology is put into a trusted toy like a teddy bear, then it becomes even more problematic for children because they automatically love and trust that teddy bear and will talk to that teddy bear and tell that teddy bear things," Hughes explains. "In the meantime … these chatbots are collecting information."
The AI-enabled "Kumma" bear is one example of how these chatbots can go off the rails. Larry Wang, CEO of Singapore-based FoloToy, announced last month that the company had withdrawn its AI-enabled toys after researchers raised concerns about the plush bear engaging in conversation around sexually explicit topics and offering potentially dangerous advice.
Likewise, multinational toy manufacturer Mattel recently scrapped its plans to release its first OpenAI-powered toy before the end of the year because there has been so much controversy around the technology.
Hughes calls that "great news."
China's AI toy industry, however, is growing in compliance with the Xi Jinping administration's campaign to turn the communist nation into an AI powerhouse. Companies and consumers there have been directed to integrate AI into their businesses and lives.
A number of AI-powered children's toys are currently available in the U.S., but Enough Is Enough recommends that parents and grandparents avoid purchasing them until some guardrails are put in place.
