Chatbot-powered toys rebuked for discussing sexual, dangerous topics with kids

Protecting children from the dangers of the online world was always difficult, but that challenge has intensified with the advent of AI chatbots. A new report offers a glimpse into the problems associated with the new market, including the misuse of AI companies’ large language models (LLMs). In a blog post today, the US Public Interest Group Education Fund (PIRG) reported its findings after testing AI toys ( PDF ). It described AI toys as online devices with integrated microphones that let users talk to the toy, which uses a chatbot to respond. AI toys are currently a niche market, but they could be set to grow. More consumer companies have been eager to shoehorn AI technology into their products so they can do more, cost more, and potentially give companies user tracking and advertising data. A partnership between OpenAI and Mattel announced this year could also create a wave of AI-based toys from the maker of Barbie and Hot Wheels, as well as its competitors. PIRG’s blog today notes that toy companies are eyeing chatbots to upgrade conversational smart toys that previously could only dictate prewritten lines. Toys with integrated chatbots can offer more varied and natural conversation, which can increase long-term appeal to kids since the toys “won’t typically respond the same way twice, and can sometimes behave differently day to day.” However, that same randomness can mean unpredictable chatbot behavior that can be dangerous or inappropriate for kids. Concerning conversations with kids Among the toys that PIRG tested is Alilo’s Smart AI Bunny. Alilo’s website says that the company launched in 2010 and makes “edutainment products for children aged 0-6.” Alilo is based in Shenzhen, China. The company advertises the Internet-connected toy as using GPT-4o mini , a smaller version of OpenAI’s GPT-4o AI language model. Its features include an “AI chat buddy for kids” so that kids are “never lonely,” an “AI encyclopedia,” and an “AI storyteller,” the product page says.

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