These AI-Powered Dolls Are a Nightmare That You're Not Ready For
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Toy giant Mattel and AI behemoth OpenAI have teamed up to develop chatGPT-powered toys. The two US companies announced the agreement on June 12, and Mattel's first AI toy is set to be released sooner than you think.
"This agreement brings together the respective expertise of Mattel and OpenAI to design, develop, and launch new experiences for fans around the world. Using OpenAI's technology, Mattel will bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences, with a focus on innovation, privacy, and security," reads Mattel's press release.
A Barbie doll that talks to you like chatGPT — revolution or anxiety?
At the moment, this announcement remains very vague. No concrete products have been announced, although the first AI toy is expected to be released by the end of 2025. Mattel owns many well-known licenses. Barbie, Hot Wheels, Uno, and Scrabble, as well as derivative products from Disney, Pixar, and others. On paper, the possibilities seem endless. A Barbie doll that argues with your child about the status of modern women in the 21st century? That's certainly plausible. A generator of absurd and cruel rules to spice up your games of Uno and give the whole family PTSD.
Mattel promises a "first AI-powered experience" in the coming months. According to Josh Silverman, the toy giant's director of franchises, the product could involve both physical objects and interactive experiences. He pointed out that Mattel will retain ownership of its brands and will not license them to OpenAI as part of this project.
This collaboration between Mattel and OpenAI will also take place internally, with Brad Lightcap, Chief Operating Officer at OpenAI, commenting:
We're delighted to be working with Mattel as it prepares to introduce AI-powered intelligent experiences and products across its iconic brands, while offering its employees the benefits of ChatGPT. With OpenAI, Mattel gains access to an advanced set of AI capabilities as well as new tools to drive productivity, creativity and transformation across the enterprise.
It remains to be seen what form this partnership will take. Mattel talks as much about products as interactive experiences. Perhaps the manufacturer plans to innovate beyond the traditional toy sector to expand into video games. The smashing success of the Barbie movie in 2023 demonstrated that such licenses can successfully transition to multimedia.
This transition becomes even more sensible given that the traditional toy market is experiencing a slight decline. Consulting firm Circana delivered a report on toy sales in 2024 in 12 global markets (G12), including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the USA. In the G12 as a whole, sales fell by 0.6% in 2024, compared with 2023.
It remains to be seen how Mattel intends to do all these while "respecting privacy and security." No doubt, some parents wouldn't like to see their child's play sessions used as an excuse to train ChatGPT.
Did you know that the fear of dolls is referred to as "pediophobia"? I find this term even more problematic than a Barbie doll that can give me AI-generated life advice.
