Experts warn about smart toys, AI-driven dolls and other high-tech gifts

Smart toys often incorporate microphones, cameras, sensors, AI and Internet connectivity into interactive play. While it isn’t necessarily a problem for toys to include ‘smart’ elements, child privacy advocates say they can introduce unwanted surveillance into play. — Image by Freepik

A child sits down in front of a brand new toy for Christmas – a robot that can hold a conversation. The robot asks the child about their life, where they live and how they feel. The robot has a camera and a microphone. It can record and remember facial expressions and what games your child plays with it.

Data from a child’s playtime is stored in the cloud and used to develop metrics on how they are growing. Transcripts of what a child says sometimes get forwarded to OpenAI, the makers of ChatGPT, for processing.