The Enough Is Enough Organization commended Mattel for delaying the release of AI toys due to growing public concern over their safety. The AI teddy bear, Kumma, powered by Open AI, told a tester with the Public Interest Research Group where to find knives and pills, how to light a match, and even had a sexually explicit conversation with the tester. Not what you want your little ones to be playing with. The testing group says many children’s AI toys have embedded chatbots in them and don’t have safeguards in place. They are urging parents not to buy AI toys for their kids.
Enough Is Enough President and CEO, Donna Rice-Hughes says parents need to be aware of the growing trend of AI toys, as many are falsely marketed as safe and educational for kids as young as two. Most AI toys are powered by the same AI technology that has already harmed children, and the embedded chatbots are programmed to listen and speak with the child like a trusted friend and mimic human emotions.
