https://cowlpane.com/tags/toys/ Recent content in Toys on Cowlpane Hugo en-us Sat, 09 May 2026 11:00:51 +0000 https://cowlpane.com/tech/the-new-wild-west-of-ai-kids-toys/ Sat, 09 May 2026 11:00:51 +0000 https://cowlpane.com/tech/the-new-wild-west-of-ai-kids-toys/ <p><em>Originally published by <a href="https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/the-new-wild-west-of-ai-kids-toys/">Ars Technica</a></em></p> <hr> <p>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.</p> <p>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 &amp; 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.</p>