That's right, stuffed animals equipped with generative artificial intelligence could soon interact with children, and those toys could even tell them personalized bedtime stories.
Talk about disturbing, right?
From Western Journal:
That is what Allan Wong, the CEO of VTech Holdings, explained during an interview earlier this year with The Financial Times.
Wong said his company, which is a major player in the toy market, believes that the technology behind the popular ChatGPT chatbot could be available in toys as early as 2028.
The CEO called the potential for AI smart toys “a little scary,” but explained they could use AI to generate stories customized for the individual child, “rather than reading from a book.”
Children would be able to have conversations with their toys and the toys would respond accordingly. The interactions would become increasingly personal as the two grow to know one another better.
“You can incorporate not only the kid’s name, but the kid’s daily activities,” Wong explained, noting that a smart toy will eventually know its owner like a “good friend.”
“The kids … can actually talk to the toy, and the toy can actually give [them] a response,” Wong said.
Wong did note there are dangers associated with generative AI, such as privacy and security concerns, and said he does not believe the technology is ready for the open market.
Not only is this creepy, but one has to wonder why this technology would be necessary.
Shouldn't children be able to explore and discover things on their own, without the help of AI?
If a child truly needs a book read to them, why can't it be read by an adult or an older child?
This type of technology, in my opinion, seems unnecessary and only serves to further disconnect us from our humanity.
