The new Wild West of AI kids’ toys

Sat, 09 May 2026 11:00:51 +0000

Originally published by Ars Technica

The main antagonist ofToy Story 5, in theaters this summer, is a green, frog-shaped kids’ tablet named Lilypad, a genius new villain for the belovedPixar franchise. But if Pixar had its ear to the ground, it might have used an AI kids’ toy instead.

AI toys are seemingly everywhere, marketed online as friendly companions to children as young as three, and they’re still a largely unregulated category. It’s easier than ever to spin up an AI companion, thanks to model developer programs andvibe coding. In 2026, they’ve become a go-to trend in cheap trinkets, lining the halls of trade shows likeCES,MWC, andHong Kong’s Toys & Games Fair. By October 2025, there were over 1,500 AI toy companiesregisteredin China, and Huawei’sSmart HanHanplush toy sold 10,000 units in China in its first week. Sharp put itsPokeTomo talking AI toyon sale in Japan this April.

How climate change makes your allergies worse

Fri, 08 May 2026 14:23:23 +0000

Originally published by Ars Technica

It’s not in your head.

Climate change is contributing to longer and more severe pollen seasons across the Northern Hemisphere. Dr. Neelima Tummala, an ear, nose, and throat doctor at NYU Langone Health, said her patients tell her every year that their allergies are the worst they’ve ever been—and they might be right.

About a quarter of US adults and 1 in 5 children have seasonal allergies. For those millions of Americans, spring weather brings sniffles, itchy eyes, asthma exacerbation, and other miseries, with effects ranging from mild symptoms to serious medical emergencies.

Syndication on Cowlpane

The new Wild West of AI kids’ toys

How climate change makes your allergies worse