Mattel’s going to make AI-powered toys, kids’ rights advocates are worried

Mattel announced a strategic collaboration with OpenAI to develop AI-powered toys, drawing criticism from advocacy groups concerned about risks to children’s privacy, safety, and development; critics reference past missteps like the 2015 Wi‑Fi “Hello Barbie” that asked personal questions and had vulnerabilities enabling eavesdropping, as well as a 2024 packaging link error, to argue that proposed guardrails may be insufficient. The piece questions whether AI toys are ready for children and urges parental caution despite industry assurances.