Mattel and OpenAI have just done something that changes everything: launching toys with artificial intelligence.

Yes, those dolls that used to only say pre-recorded phrases… now they converse, learn, and respond.

But before getting excited about the “toy of the future,” it’s worth asking a deeper question:

Are we ready for AI to be part of the play… of our children?

Toys that talk, respond… and teach?

Thanks to their partnership with OpenAI, Mattel is integrating conversational AI into its products. This means that a Barbie doll or a Hot Wheels car no longer just moves or makes sounds. Now it can answer questions, engage in conversations, and even “teach” children.

According to the company, the idea is to create personalized, educational, and safe experiences.

But…

What could go wrong?

Like all powerful technology, the risks exist.

Experts have already raised alarms about:

• Jailbreaks: methods to “break” the toy’s restrictions and make it say or do unexpected things.
• Algorithmic biases: who trains the AI and with what values?
• Child privacy: what data does the toy collect? Where is it stored?
• Artificial emotional bonds: if the AI “understands” and “accompanies,” can it generate emotional dependence?

What is concerning is not just what the toy says today, but what it could learn to say tomorrow.

And if it’s also an opportunity?

Not everything is negative.

Well-designed and supervised, artificial intelligence in toys can be a powerful educational tool.

• It can foster curiosity.
• Enhance personalized learning.
• Help children with specific needs.
• And bring them —from a young age— to a language that already defines the present: AI.

The real challenge is one: accompany, not delegate

The solution is not to prohibit but also not to leave it be.

It lies in:

• Staying informed: knowing what the toy does and how it does it.
• Supervising: being present in play.
• Educating: explaining that it is a machine, not a person.
• Demanding transparency: from the companies that create these products.

Because children need not just technology.

They need adults to help them understand it.

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence has already entered the playroom.

And it’s not going to leave.

The question is not if your children will use AI. It’s if they will be prepared to use it wisely.

As always, the problem is not the toy.

It’s what we do —or don’t do— with it. 

Watch the full video and discover what no one is saying about AI toys.