Tips for Choosing the Less Dangerous AI Toy for Toddlers

Tips for Choosing the Less Dangerous AI Toy

AI Toys for Toddlers.. Fun or a Danger?

A recent study by a non-profit consumer advocacy organization has revealed serious problems with children's AI-powered toys.

The U.S. PIRG group examined four AI-powered toys marketed for toddlers and found serious safety issues, ranging from explicit sexual content to instructions on dangerous objects.

This study highlights how generative AI chatbots, originally designed for adults, are now being integrated into children's toys with limited safety controls, according to a report by the tech news site Digital Trends.

One of the toys examined discussed explicit sexual topics and offered advice on where to find matches or knives upon request. Many of the toys used voice recording and facial recognition without clear parental consent or transparent data policies.

The study also highlighted existing risks, such as toxic toys, batteries, and the danger of swallowing magnets, all now intertwined with the risks of artificial intelligence.

This study comes at a time when children's toys have evolved far beyond mere plastic objects. Today, these toys can listen, speak, store data, and interact with children in real time, opening a Pandora's box of potential dangers.

When an AI toy provides a child with inappropriate advice or records their voice and facial features without effective safeguards, it transforms playtime into an arena where privacy, mental health, and safety risks intersect.

Furthermore, many of these toys are designed using the same large language modeling technology employed in adult chatbots, which suffer from well-known issues of bias, inaccuracy, and unpredictable behavior.

While toy companies may add "child-friendly" filters, the study demonstrates that these safeguards can ultimately fail.

Parents and regulators now face a new front of dangers. It's no longer just about the risks of choking or lead paint; it now includes toys that might recommend using matches, question a child's decision to stop playing, or encourage prolonged conversations. This means children's toys have become more complex and potentially dangerous.

How can these risks be avoided?

If you're a parent, caregiver, or someone giving a child a toy, there are a few things to consider when choosing a new AI-powered toy.

First, make sure any AI-powered toy you're considering has transparent data policies: Does it record or recognize faces? Can you delete the recording or disable audio playback? You should also check the content filters to see if the toy allows discussions about topics like sex, matches, or knives during tests.

You should prioritize toys that allow you to pause, set a timer, or completely disable chatbot functionality, as the problem of "games that won't stop playing" is now a well-documented pattern of failure.