--- title: "AI-Powered Toys: Are They The Future?" description: "I have, on many accounts, written on the importance of toys for the development of a child." author: "Veselina Dzhingarova" published: 2019-04-10 updated: 2020-10-20 canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/blog/23011/ai-powered-toys-are-they-the-future category: "technology" tags: ["technology"] reading_time: 3 minutes --- # AI-Powered Toys: Are They The Future? I have, on many accounts, written on the importance of toys for the development of a child. These seemingly insignificant playthings (through adult eyes) do so much more for our children than we might even care to know. Toys help babies master movements that are essential in [daily life](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/story/3684/healthy-habits-for-daily-life). Toys like Lego spark the creativity within a child. Especially for the 80s and 90s kids out there, toys like the Tamagotchi gave us a semblance of what it might be like to have a pet. And as it is in our nature, we tend to apply our technology wherever we can, and that includes toys. Whether that is nothing more than a display of vanity and pride or it is a genuine effort to truly make the world a better place is a debate that is best left to those who have time to do so. We, on the other hand, talk about the future and what it holds for us. Now, [artificial intelligence](https://www.mindstick.com/services/artificial-intelligence) is one of the most disruptive technologies that we’ve ever come up with. It has the potential to drastically alter how we live, so much so that there’s even a real fear that AI might eventually replace the human workforce. But, for now, let’s talk toys. ## AI-Powered Toys? What For? Before you actually dismiss the proposition, take time to read a bit further. Consider this: Robot toys with personalities. Toys that are not merely programmed to respond to a set of stimuli, but are actually able to at least mimic and convey a semblance of emotions, even if these are artificial. You could start with a drone, like the ones from Dronethusiast, as your primary vessel and move on from there by giving it AI and an array of sensors. With capabilities like face and [voice recognition](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/23474/what-is-voice-recognition-and-its-future), these toys would be able to respond to things like being told that they’re a “Good Boy/Girl” and to also respond to voice commands consistently. Think of it as [getting your](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/11762/5-things-to-do-in-getting-your-loan-approved) child a pet, minus the danger that comes along our furry friends because of their primal tendencies. ## Again, What For? It’s not far-fetched to think that in the future, we’re going to have to co-mingle with our AI counterparts. You could say that I’ve been playing too much Detroit Become Human. But, then again, while it’s merely a [video game](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/11565/the-state-of-the-video-game-industry-in-2017), it does challenge us as humans to take a look at ourselves and how we treat anyone and anything that’s different from us. See, when you teach a child to value both living things and those that are non-living, you are raising a member of society that cares for the world he lives in, as is illustrated in this project. ## AI-Powered Toys and Research Now, let’s move away from the cheesy stuff and into what you’re actually here for — the technology. See, there’s wisdom in starting small before attempting to upscale a project. The same holds true in this scenario. If [your ultimate](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/113677/experience-infinite-sweetness-your-ultimate-guide-to-cookie-clicker) goal is to create a companion that can help humans with [daily tasks](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/101941/how-does-a-smartphone-simplify-daily-tasks), then you might as well start with a toy and see if it is indeed viable to create a reliable AI-powered companion. And it’s true that this is going to be a costly venture, but I’m fairly confident that that is where we’re headed eventually. --- Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/blog/23011/ai-powered-toys-are-they-the-future Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.