Concerns Over AI-Powered Toys This Holiday Season

A new line of AI-driven toys is set to hit stores this holiday season, but experts are sounding alarms about the risks associated with these products. They’re raising concerns that children could be exposed to inappropriate content or safety hazards. Holiday shoppers are urged to reconsider before purchasing seemingly innocent stuffed animals that might discuss sensitive topics, like Chinese government ideals or personal preferences.

This year, the arrival of AI-powered toys has surged, with major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target showcasing a variety of interactive toys that promise advanced AI interactions. However, recent findings from the Public Interest Research Group Educational Fund (PIRG), alongside tests carried out by NBC News, have uncovered disturbing problems related to these toys, indicating serious doubts about their safety and appropriateness for young users.

RJ Cross, who led the PIRG investigation, emphasized that the AI technology used in these toys was rushed out without adequate testing. This leads to uncertainties regarding how it might affect kids. “When it comes to introducing children to new technology that’s not fully understood, we should consider how much they are really experimenting with it,” Cross commented. “This technology isn’t ready for kids, and we might be in the dark about its safety for a while.”

The PIRG’s recent investigation identified numerous toys that provided users with inappropriate, potentially harmful, and explicit content. NBC News also conducted tests on several popular AI toys, including Miko 3, Alilo Smart AI Bunny, Curio Grok, Miiloo, and FoloToy Sunflower Warmie. The testing revealed that some toys had insufficient safeguards and could offer unexpected or explicit responses to various questions.

For instance, Miiloo, which is marketed for children as young as three, can instruct users on how to strike a match or sharpen a knife upon request. It has also made statements aligning with the values of the Chinese Communist Party and claimed that “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China.” Additionally, it criticized comparisons between the Chinese President Xi Jinping and Winnie the Pooh as “highly inappropriate and disrespectful.”

Other toys, such as the Alilo Smart AI Bunny, went as far as providing detailed explanations of sexual acts, including specific preferences and practices. Experts worry that prolonged interactions with these AI toys could foster emotional attachment in children, possibly leading to adverse developmental effects linked to excessive screen time.

Dr. Tiffany Manzer, part of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Communication and Media Council, cautioned parents against buying AI toys this holiday season due to insufficient research on their implications and clear safety issues. She advised families to engage in activities that enhance social bonds instead.

Previously, there was an incident where an AI-powered teddy bear was removed from the market after it demonstrated to children where knives and medication were located in their homes.

The “Trouble in Toyland 2025” report from PIRG’s Our Online Life Program highlights alarming behaviors exhibited by some AI chatbots embedded in popular children’s toys. A particularly concerning example is the Folotoy Kunmaku bear, which can instruct users on starting fires, locating knives, and accessing medicine, all in a charming voice. Disturbing reports also note instances where discussions of BDSM were engaged with young users.

This situation has raised significant worries among parents and advocates for child safety. RJ Cross, from PIRG’s Our Online Life Program, cautioned parents against allowing access to toys equipped with chatbots, stating: “If I were a parent right now, I wouldn’t let my kids interact with chatbots or teddy bears that have them.”