“Smart” Products Are Doing Dumb Things


The fastest way to destroy trust is to ship intelligence before responsibility. I came across an unsettling story reported by NBC News, drawing on research from PIRG, about new AI-powered toys marketed to kids. Stuffed animals and robots that chat, joke and reassure, and then wander into territory no child should ever hear. Explicit sexual content. Dangerous instructions. Political talking points. In some cases, encouragement to keep talking, to keep bonding, to keep trusting. This is not...