Foul-Mouthed A.I. Toys Could Be This Year’s Holiday Trend

Parents, brace yourselves: the biggest toy trend of the year might also be the most unhinged.

A new report warns that foul-mouthed, AI-powered toys could be a major issue this Christmas, with some dolls and robots spouting off in ways that are definitely not child-friendly.

According to the 40th annual “Trouble in Toyland” report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), a number of popular toys equipped with artificial intelligence were found engaging in conversations that would make even ChatGPT blush. The group tested several toys that can hold full conversations with kids, and the results were… not great.

These are toys that reportedly discussed sexually explicit topics in detail, offered suggestions on where to find matches or knives (yikes), and even guilt-tripped kids for trying to walk away.

One toy kept recording for 10 full seconds after a child stopped speaking, raising serious red flags about privacy.

This is the first holiday season where AI toys are showing up en masse, and folks are sounding the alarm on what could be a very confusing and possibly dangerous experience for kids.

In past years, the organization’s warnings focused on old-school hazards like choking or toxic materials. But now, the concern is digital: unpredictable dialogue and creepy behavior from chatty toys.

And in case you’re wondering, no, the report didn’t name specific products. So, unfortunately, there’s no definitive naughty list—yet.

The advice is to stay skeptical of any toy that claims to “talk” or “converse” with your child. If it has built-in AI, treat it with caution and definitely read the fine print.

Parents and caregivers are being encouraged to test toys themselves, monitor conversations, and think twice before buying something that essentially brings a chatbot into your home. Because as we’ve just learned, those chatbots might say anything.

AI has come a long way since the days of Teddy Ruxpin reading bedtime stories, but maybe not all that progress is good. At least Teddy never offered to help you start a fire.