Be wary of AI-powered toys during holiday shopping, experts warn
Global News
The toys are cute and marketed as educational and interactive companions that encourage children's creativity. But child development experts caution that the opposite may be true.
As parents hunt for gifts that will wow their kids this holiday season, Canadian child development and psychology experts say they should be wary of AI-powered toys because of possible harms, ranging from privacy and security violations to interference with children’s creativity and development.
“Early childhood is a time where the developing brain is a little sponge. It’s taking everything in and it is so malleable,” said Dr. Nicole Racine, an Ottawa child psychologist and scientist at the CHEO Research Institute.
“I think about what kind of inputs do I want my kids to be having? And to be honest, it’s not the inputs of an AI algorithm,” said Racine, who also has two young children.
Her comments follow an advisory for parents issued last week from Fairplay, a U.S.-based organization aiming to protect children from potential technology harms. It was endorsed by dozens of experts, including child advocacy groups, pediatricians, educators and psychologists.
The advisory defines AI toys as “chatbots embedded in everyday children’s toys, like plushies, dolls, action figures or kids’ robots and use artificial intelligence technology designed to communicate like a trusted friend and mimic human characteristics and emotions.”
The AI component is usually prominently advertised so they’re not difficult for parents to spot, said Rachel Franz, director of Fairplay’s Young Children Thrive Offline Program, in an interview. Checking to see if the toy needs to be connected to WiFi is another element to look for, she said.
The toys are cute and marketed as educational and interactive companions that encourage children’s creativity. But child development experts caution that the opposite may be true.
They can curb a child’s imagination because with a regular toy, the child makes up both sides of the conversation, Fairplay says.
