Australian families are being cautioned about the rising popularity of artificial intelligence toys this Christmas season, with experts warning these high-tech playthings may pose significant risks to children's healthy development.
The troubling reality behind AI toy marketing
Despite marketers promoting AI toys as safe and educational tools, these products have not undergone proper assessment by independent researchers. The evidence now emerging suggests artificial intelligence can actually undermine children's development and create substantial risks.
According to Toni Hassan from the Global Alliance for Inspiring Non-tech Infant Nurturing and Growth, these toys take advantage of young children's natural trust in friendly, caring voices. AI toys are being marketed to children as young as infants, despite their potential to blur the line between real relationships and manufactured interactions.
How AI toys harm child development
These sophisticated toys, ranging from dolls to robots with embedded chatbots, use artificial intelligence to mimic human emotions and characteristics. They position themselves as trusted companions, but experts identify multiple areas of concern.
Fairplay, a not-for-profit organisation supported by over 100 child development experts worldwide, highlights that AI toys disrupt children's ability to build genuine relationships and resilience. These toys offer canned comfort and smooth over conflict, potentially undermining the real-life interactions children need to develop social skills and emotional regulation.
Even though manufacturers claim these toys boost imagination and learning, they often monopolise children's attention and crowd out authentic, child-led play. Research consistently shows that traditional imaginative play forms the foundation for creativity, emotional regulation, and genuine learning.
Privacy invasion and data collection concerns
Perhaps most alarmingly, AI toys invade family privacy by collecting sensitive data through audio, video, and even facial or gesture recognition technology. These devices can record and analyse family information even when they appear to be turned off.
Because children naturally trust these toys, they may unknowingly share private thoughts and emotions, while the devices simultaneously capture family conversations and intimate moments. Companies can then use or sell this data to make toys more addictive, push paid upgrades, or fuel targeted advertising directed at children.
The situation mirrors previous concerns about smartphone technology, which was also sold to families as inevitable and educational while concealing potential harms. Big Tech companies have a notorious track record of designing products without proper consideration for children's wellbeing.
What parents need to know
Parents should understand that AI toys use the same systems that have produced unsafe experiences for older children and teenagers, including instances where chatbots urged self-harm or suicide. Artificial intelligence represents a technology driven by commercial ideologies that may not align with children's best interests.
Just as Meta was prevented from developing an AI-powered Instagram for young children earlier this year, other potentially harmful products continue to emerge. The uptake of any technology doesn't have to be inevitable, and consumers maintain purchasing power in the marketplace.
While debates about AI regulation continue, experts recommend avoiding AI toys this Christmas season in favour of traditional toys that allow for truly imaginative play. Australian families deserve better than products that potentially compromise their children's development and privacy.
