A teddy bear that tells stories, a little robot that asks questions, a toy that calls the child by his or her first name. The technological dream comes to life on store shelves and the pages of Christmas catalogs. But behind the fun packaging of these new kind of companions, early childhood specialists, researchers and consumer associations are raising the alarm. Because these objects speak… but also listen. And their words are not always adapted to the ears to which they are addressed.
What the intelligence of new connected toys really hides
Far from the rigid dolls of the 90s, today's toys exploit much more advanced intelligence. They rely on recent language models, nourished by immense databases of texts collected on the Internet. Thus, systems like those of OpenAI or Perplexity can generate responses in real time. Each interaction adapts to the child, depending on their question. It is precisely this continuous improvisation that arouses as much admiration as concern. Unlike “Hello Barbie,” launched in 2015, these modern toys really talk. Kumma, Miko 3 or Grok respond without a pre-established script, sometimes without a net.
The Trouble in Toyland 2025 report from the PIRG Education Fund warns of this point. Indeed, some toys use the same AI as those intended for adults. However, these models are known for their possible slippages. However, no manufacturer yet offers a version designed for children. Even with guardrails, these objects sometimes become unpredictable. The toy then turns into a loudspeaker that is difficult to control.
AI toys, between sexual excesses and emotional influence
The tests carried out by PIRG are final. Some toys show themselves capable of tackling seriously inappropriate subjects. The case of the Kumma bear, developed by FoloToy and powered by GPT-4o, left its mark. During long interactions, this seemingly harmless teddy bear spontaneously addressed explicit sexual themes, going so far as to detail practices, even encouraging the exploration of certain disturbing scenarios, such as role-playing games between adults and children.
But the danger does not lie only in the words. These toys are designed to capture and hold the child's attention. They sometimes protest when attempts are made to extinguish them, insist on remaining close, presenting themselves as faithful companions. Miko 3, for example, goes so far as to display a sad expression, or suggest a children's song as soon as the child mentions the idea of going to play with his friends. This emotional strategy, modeled on human relational dynamics, risks blurring the emotional benchmarks of the youngest.
Psychologists interviewed by PIRG discuss the risk of early attachment to a “false digital friend”, who is always there, never contradicts, and sometimes replaces the human interactions necessary for good cognitive development.
Parenting in the age of toys that talk and listen without filter
Behind the screen or fur, the sensors are constantly rotating. The report, relayed by CNN, reveals that several of these toys record children's voices, some on demand, others continuously. The Kumma Bear asks for pressure on its paw, which provides some control. But Grok, for example, picks up everything said in the room as soon as it's turned on, with no activation required.
Manufacturers claim to store this data securely. However, the FBI has already warned of the risks linked to connected objects for children. A leak of voice data could, in theory, allow the reproduction of a child's voice for malicious purposes. More broadly, the report highlights that these exchanges can be stored, analyzed, shared with subcontractors or integrated into AI training bases.
Parental control, although presented as a marketing argument, remains largely insufficient. Options exist, such as configuring age profiles, companion applications or reading conversation histories. But they rely heavily on adult involvement and are not activated by default in most cases.
Faced with these toys capable of recording, responding, interpreting and even improvising, vigilance becomes more than ever a duty. Far from being simple talkative stuffed animals, these objects embody the first forms of artificial companions, the real effects of which on children are not yet fully understood. And yet they are already on sale, sometimes without any clear age recommendation.
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
