Claims of “smart” toys go back decades. See Chatty Cathy and Furby. But generative artificial intelligence is increasing the capabilities of interactive toys. The company Curio, for instance, markets itself as a “magical workshop where toys come to life.” Its plush toys, like Gabbo and one modeled on the Italian brainrot character Ballerina Cappuccina, have onboard AI models that let them talk to kids, remember their conversations and personalize responses. But we know little about how such toys affect kids and even how kids play with them.
Curiosity, frustration and antipathy: How kids play with AI toys
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