Kids have always played with and talked to stuffed animals. But now their toys can talk back, thanks to a wave of companies that are fitting children’s playthings with chatbots and voice assistants.
It’s a trend that has particularly taken off in China: A recent report by the Shenzhen Toy Industry Association and JD.com predicts that the sector will surpass ¥100 billion ($14 billion) by 2030, growing faster than almost any other branch of consumer AI. According to the Chinese corporation registration database Qichamao, there are over 1,500 AI toy companies operating in China as of October 2025.
Just to remember parents: You don’t need to buy everything for your kids. Even if their best friends have this toy and your children want it and cry to get it, they do not need to get it
Easy to say when you dont have to co-parent with the most braindead cunt on the planet hahahahhaha fml