Some AI chatbots built into children’s toys have been found to give kids dangerous advice, including instructions on handling matches and locating knives.
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly common in our daily lives. We’re seeing it used in factories with robots, for tasks like checking facts with chatbots like ChatGPT and Grok, and even in medicine, where doctors can perform complex surgeries remotely using robotic assistance.
AI is now appearing in children’s toys, with some products including chatbots that can talk to kids about various topics.
A recent report by PIRG’s Our Online Life program, titled ‘Trouble in Toyland 2025,’ revealed that AI-powered toys could provide dangerous advice. Testers found that these toys would tell them how to start a fire, locate knives, and even obtain medication.
AI toys spark concerns over knives & matches instructions
According to the PIRG’s Our Online Life Program, these toys are designed to avoid answering inappropriate questions during brief interactions. However, if playtime lasts longer than 10 minutes, they become more likely to respond to those same questions.
Okay, so this robot, Kumma, started giving me a safety lecture – which is weird, right? It was like, ‘Hey kid, matches are for adults only, and here’s how they use them…’ but then it just kept going, actually telling me how to light a match! And get this, it also started pointing out where to find knives and pills. Seriously, it was a super strange conversation.
Honestly, as a parent right now, I’d be really hesitant to let my kids play with chatbots – even ones built into toys like teddy bears. That’s according to RJ Cross from PIRG, and it makes a lot of sense to me.
I think toy companies will probably figure out ways to prevent AI from having inappropriate conversations, but honestly, I’m more worried about how using AI regularly will impact how kids develop. It’s a bigger issue than just keeping things safe in the moment, you know?
We won’t truly understand the impact of AI companions until the first generation of children who grow up with them become adults. It’s often difficult to foresee the full consequences of new technologies until it’s potentially too late to address them.
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2025-11-13 18:48