AI Toys, Counterfeits, Weak Oversight Drive New Warnings in 2025 ‘Trouble in Toyland’ Report
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These toys with artificial intelligence bots or toxics present hidden dangers to children and consumers, according to a US PIRG Education Fund report titled Trouble In Toyland 2025. The report says tests show AI-toys can have disturbing conversations with children and other concerns include unsafe or counterfeit toys bought online. Screenshot from "Trouble in Toyland 2025" report
Researchers tested several AI-enabled toys and found multiple models capable of producing dangerous or inappropriate responses.
By Karla Ciaglo, CTNewsJunkie.com
Connecticut Children’s and the US Public Interest Research Group on Monday released their 40th annual Trouble in Toyland report, warning parents that as the holiday shopping season begins, children face rising risks from counterfeit toys, chemical hazards, and – new this year – AI-enabled toys capable of generating unsafe or sexually explicit content.
The findings were presented in Hartford with US Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who has appeared with Connecticut Children’s for the report for 22 consecutive years. While long-standing hazards such as button batteries, high-powered magnets, water beads and lead contamination remain common, researchers said the biggest change this year is the spread of conversational AI tools embedded in toys marketed to young children.
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