(InvestigateTV) — Consumer advocates are demanding greater transparency from toymakers about safety practices as artificial intelligence-powered chatbots become increasingly common in children’s toys.
R.J. Cross, online life program director with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, has spent several months analyzing the use of AI chatbots in toys. Her two most recent reports gained national attention for calling out AI-powered toys that shared inappropriate responses to questions.
“Consumers deserve transparency into what the products they’re buying and how they work—and if safety testing has been done,” Cross said.
U.S. PIRG, along with 107 experts in childhood development, health professionals and civil society organizations, wrote a letter urging AI toymakers to commit to greater transparency when it comes to safety practices.
“AI toy companies need to be transparent in particular because they’re using such cutting-edge tech that we found can have vulnerabilities and parents deserve information about those products before they bring them into the home,” Cross said.
Cross said she has seen bipartisan support on a federal level from Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal demanding transparency about testing protocols and examining what companies are doing with people’s data.
Cross recommended parents ensure children play with AI toys only in shared spaces, not in bedrooms or bathrooms where they can have private conversations.
“You want to be able to monitor how your child is interacting with the toy and how the toy is responding,” Cross said.
She advised parents to look for AI features like built-in microphones, cameras or the ability to have conversations that respond to what children say when examining toys before purchase.
“We love to see that progress. But of course, there are big questions in the long-term about if these products still are safe in a holistic way—and if they’re going to have long-term negative impacts on kids’ social development,” Cross said.
Copyright 2026 Gray Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.