AI Teddy Bears Could Be Reading ‘Customized’ Bedtime Stories To Kids Within 5 Years, Toymaker Says

Parents might soon have to deal with their children begging for teddy bears equipped with artificial intelligence that can have conversations and even instill values, according to a leading toymaker. 

Allan Wong, chief executive of VTech Holdings, a Hong Kong-based toy and electronics company, told the Financial Times it was looking “very closely” at the use of AI in children’s toys, but admitted the thought is “a little scary.” Wong told the Times that toys could be equipped with ChatGPT-style intelligence by 2028. 

“You can incorporate not only the kid’s name but the kid’s daily activities. [It] knows you go to which school … who your friends are,” Wong told the outlet. “It can actually be telling a story and talking almost like a good friend. The kids … can actually talk to the toy, and the toy can actually give [them] a response.”  

Wong added that AI could generate “customized” stories for children instead of reading from a book, but the technology that powers ChatGPT is still too expensive for children’s toys — a reality that’s likely to change soon. 

“I think we will have to wait another about five years when the price comes down to a certain level, then we can adapt a subset of those AI chips for toy use. But it’s coming.”

Along with the cost, Wong admits that generative AI is “not mature” enough to put in kids’ toys and says there are privacy concerns. For the teddy bear to have a conversation with the child, there would need to be a microphone. There’s also the question of privacy and whether any information or data would be kept. If the toy is meant to be a “good friend,” there’s no telling what a child might say to it, the Daily Mail notes

“I think we should be aware of the dangers, on privacy, security, what kinds of things to teach and what not to teach,” Wong said. 

Security specialist Jake Moore issued a stern warning on the privacy issue when it comes to kids’ toys, telling the Daily Mail, “Every time information such as the child’s name and interests is input into any AI algorithm, the data is stored, analyzed and potentially even shared for a price too with third parties.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP

Some parents may also be wary of the toys because of the alleged left-leaning bias of some AI software, as reports of liberal answers by chatbots have been frequent in the past year, including on questions of gender ideology. As the Financial Times puts it, Wong said the smart toys would be able to “teach or even instill values.” 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has often warned against the dangers of AI, saying in a Fox News interview that the technology could bring “civilization destruction” if not properly regulated. 

“AI is more dangerous than, say, mismanaged aircraft design or production maintenance or bad car production,” Musk told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in April. “In the sense that it has the potential — however, small one may regard that probability, but it is non-trivial — it has the potential of civilization destruction.” 

Trump Blasts Biden And EV Industry In Michigan Speech: ‘Going To Decimate Your Jobs’

Former President Donald Trump addressed the electric vehicle industry Sunday during a pit stop in America’s auto manufacturing capital, warning that the regulatory push for EVs will kill Michigan jobs. 

While speaking to Republicans in Oakland County, Trump blasted President Joe Biden for his “environmental extremism” that is placing “ridiculous regulations” on the EV industry, The Hill reported

“Driven by his ridiculous regulations, electric cars will kill more than half of U.S. auto jobs and decimate the suppliers that they decimated already — decimate the suppliers and it’s going to decimate your jobs and it’s going to decimate more than anybody else, the state of Michigan,” Trump said. “It’s is going to be decimation it’s going to be at a level that that people can’t even imagine.”

“The state of Michigan is going to be decimation,” he added. “It’s going to be at a level that people can’t even imagine.”

The Biden administration wants to electrify 67% of all commercial passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2032. The White House released a fact sheet announcing investments for the car industry, intending to boost EV purchases to make up half of all new vehicle sales by 2030. As part of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which seeks “to bring a clean, safe, affordable, and reliable transportation future to Americans,” certain buyers receive tax credits for purchasing new and used EVs.

The Michigan economy is fueled by the auto industry, which makes up more than 175,000 jobs in the state. Ford and GM, both Michigan-based automakers, have moved toward EV manufacturing with encouragement from the White House. Reports last week indicated that Ford is poised to receive the largest government check for an automaker since the 2009 bailouts thanks to a $9.2 billion loan intended to help construct three electric vehicle battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee. 

Earlier this year, Michigan lawmakers cleared a deal for the state to partially fund the construction of an EV battery plant factory with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. 

In his speech, Trump touted the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a deal he signed as president, saying that it focused on ensuring “more cars are made in American factories by American workers.” The former president then told the crowd gathered in Michigan that Democrats led by Biden “want every car to be all electric.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP

“Except you don’t make all electric cars too much,” Trump said. “You know who does — China.”

Trump won Michigan in 2016 on his way to the White House but then lost the state to Biden in 2020. The former president continues to lead 2024 Republican presidential primary polls even after federal indictments in two separate cases landed him in court in Manhattan and Miami. In April, Trump pleaded not guilty to falsifying business records related to alleged hush money payments he made to porn star Stormy Daniels, and earlier this month, he pleaded not guilty to federal charges in his handling of classified documents. 

About Us

Virtus (virtue, valor, excellence, courage, character, and worth)

Vincit (conquers, triumphs, and wins)