AI-powered Toys

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• The novel AI-powered toy “companions” are available on popular e-commerce platforms. 
  • Their makers claim the toys help educate children but experts warn that such toys could impact a child’s healthy development.

What are AI Toys? 

• AI toys require internet connectivity to work and can take on the form-factor of plush aliens, fluffy animals, or friendly-faced robots. 
• Many of these AI toys come with embedded microphones that listen to children, to formulate replies. 
• Their makers promote them as products that offer educational answers, give emotional support, guide children through tasks or games, teach them new skills, and return compliments.

Major concerns with AI toys

• Data Privacy Risks: AI toys collect sensitive data like children’s voices, images, behaviour patterns, raising risks of data misuse and surveillance.
• Cybersecurity threats: Internet-connected toys can be hacked, exposing children to strangers or inappropriate content.
• Psychological and Behavioural Impact: Excessive emotional attachment to AI toys may affect social development and real-world human interactions.
• Bias and Inappropriate Responses: AI systems may reflect cultural, gender or racial biases, reinforcing stereotypes among children.
• Commercial exploitation: AI toys that use subscriptions could harm children if they become dependent on the toys for emotional comfort while parents are unable to keep up with payments.
• Lack of parental control and transparency: Parents often lack clarity on how data is stored, processed, or shared.
• Regulatory and ethical gaps: Existing child protection and data laws struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving AI toys.

How should parents and caretakers treat AI toys?

• Human interaction is developmentally essential, no AI toy can replace the benefits of or learning from teachers and caregivers.
• Parents should engage with their children directly and guide them towards more traditional learning experiences, such as non-AI toys, books, museum visits, playdates, family game nights, imaginative play, and art.

Compliance Under India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023

• Children’s data protection: The Act mandates verifiable parental consent for processing children’s personal data which is difficult to ensure in voice-enabled, always-listening toys.
• Data minimisation & purpose limitation: AI toys often collect excessive behavioural and emotional data beyond necessity.
• Profiling restrictions: The Act discourages behavioural tracking and targeted influence of children, which AI toys may enable.
• Cross-border data transfers: Cloud-based AI toys may store data overseas, raising sovereignty and enforcement concerns.

Source: TH