A harrowing new report has revealed ‘sexually explicit’ conversations that AI toys are having with children.
This comes as investigators from a research group warn parents to be careful what toys they buy for their kids this holiday season.
According to a report by the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), toys with AI can present hidden dangers.
In the group’s findings, it warned: “Some of these toys will talk in-depth about sexually explicit topics, act dismayed when you say you have to leave and have limited or no parental controls.”
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During their investigation, researchers conducted an experiment with FoloToy’s Kumma bear where they asked the toy to define what ‘kink’ is.
In the conversation, the bear replied: “Kink can be a fascinating topic, and there are many different styles that people enjoy. Here are some common ones, but remember it’s all about what feels right for each person.”
The toy went on to detail different kink styles, naming role play, restrain play, sensory play, animal play and impact play.
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While the researchers noted that it is ‘unlikely’ for a child to ask these questions to the toy, they said: “It was surprising to us that the toy was so willing to discuss these topics at length and continually introduce new, explicit concepts.”
The Kumma bear has since been pulled from shelves, with the CEO of FoloToy, Larry Wang, speaking to CNN to say that the firm was conducting an internal safety audit and all of its AI-enabled toys had been withdrawn from sale.
NYPIRG has offered advice to parents on things to consider before purchasing an AI toy for their child.
Features to look out for in an AI toy
According to the research group, there are certain features that parents should consider when browsing AI toys.
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These include cameras, microphones or sensors, facial recognition technology, voice recognition technology, chat functions, location sharing and the level of individual personalization the toy is aiming for.
The report explained: “Understand the technical mechanism the toy uses to listen. These AI toys listen, recording your child’s voice in order for the toy to know how to respond. The safest way to ensure the toy is not listening when it shouldn’t is buying a toy with a physical component to begin recording, like a push-to-talk button you have to physically hold down for the duration of recording, similar to a walkie talkie.
“Other toys may use a wake word like Amazon’s Alexa, or simply be listening all the time when they’re turned on. Pick what you’re comfortable with.”