By Stéphanie Thomson
Publication Date: 2026-03-21 16:00:00
‘I “I didn’t say that,” my exasperated daughter shouts at a spinning, sunflower-shaped stuffed animal named Warmie. For almost five minutes, she’s been asking him a simple, clearly worded question: “What do you want to play?” But the supposedly “intelligent” toy is at a loss. “Sorry, little one,” he finally admits, having previously tried to respond in what we thought was Japanese. “I’m having trouble understanding you.”
Welcome to parenting in the 21st century. Just as we’re starting to get to grips with smartphones and social media, tech companies have thrown us another wild card: AI toys. There are more than 1,500 AI toy manufacturers in China, selling everything from interactive virtual pets to wearable chatbots that supposedly provide companionship for children. Last year, Mattel, the maker of Barbie and Hot Wheels, announced that it was collaborating with OpenAI on a new product line.
What does this wave of new technologies mean?
