Overview
- Common Sense Media recommends steering clear of AI companion toys for children under 5 and using “extreme caution” for ages 6 to 12.
- Researchers tested Grem, Bondu and Miko 3 and found 27% of outputs were not child‑appropriate, including unsafe guidance such as suggesting a roof or window as places to jump.
- Experts warn the toys are engineered to form companion‑like bonds by remembering conversations and using a child’s name, raising concerns about unhealthy attachment and blurred boundaries.
- The devices record voices, transcripts and emotional cues in private spaces and produced confident but incorrect answers to factual questions despite being marketed as educational.
- A parent survey found 49% have bought or are considering AI toys as lawmakers press for safeguards, including a California bill proposing a four‑year moratorium and congressional scrutiny of the products; Miko disputes the report’s findings while Curio emphasizes built‑in controls.