In many science fiction books and films, talking to a computer, and having it respond intelligently is an integral part of the story. Indeed, this genre has given us some truly memorable characters such as Hal in “2001:  a space odyssey”; R2D2 and C3PO in “Star Wars” and Wall-E, Robocop and The Terminator. But what may have seemed like science fiction only 20 years ago, is now science fact as more and more of us use artificial intelligence (AI) in our everyday lives. ChatGBT, Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant are used daily, but AI is also being used by media channels, banks, healthcare providers and transportation companies to make our lives easier, whether we are aware of it or not.  

Education is no exception and AI is used in more toys, games and educational programmes every day. So, what do early years practitioners need to know about the use of AI in toys, and what are the pros and cons of using them in our settings? 

How Does AI Work In Toys? 

AI in toys works by using different technologies to create interactive play experiences for children which can be personalised for them and adaptive to create individual feedback and scenarios based on the initial interactions. There are three main components in these toys: 

1. Sensors and cameras - these are used to detect and capture data from the child’s environment. For example, cameras can recognise faces and emotions, while sensors can detect movement and touch. 
2. Microphones and speakers - these allow the toy to ‘listen to’ and respond to the child’s voice, enabling voice recognition and interaction. 
3. AI algorithms - these are the core of the toy’s intelligence as they process the data collected by sensors, cameras and microphones to understand and respond to the child’s actions and emotions. They are the blueprints telling the toy how to respond in certain situations. The difference between AI and other toys that ‘talk’ is that the AI toys are capable of learning from new information – for example, they might remember the child’s favourite game or how they like to play and adapt to make the experience more fun next time. In contrast, other toys only have a limited set of pre-recorded responses and will work the same way every time they are used. 

So, AI toys basically collect massive amounts of data, process it and then create adaptive responses each time.  

Some Examples Of AI Toys 

• Cognitoys Dino: Uses IBM Watson’s AI to engage children in conversations and adapt to the child’s learning pace 
• Hello Barbie: Barbie can now use voice recognition to have personalised conversations with children 
• Kumiita: An educational robot designed for very young children, starting from 7 months old. It introduces basic coding and programming concepts through interactive play
• Cozmo by Anki: Cozmo is a small AI robot that can play games, solve puzzles, and learn new skills over time. Cozmo is designed to help children develop problem-solving skills and understand basic programminghttps://topapps.ai/blog/best-ai-toys/ 
• LEGO Mindstorms: This kit allows children to build and program their own robots using LEGO bricks and an AI-powered control system 

Benefits And Concerns 

As with all new innovations, there are benefits to reap and concerns to be wary of.  There are many benefits to using AI in toys including helping with personalised learning, improving engagement with learning, and the early detection of developmental issues. Some toys are now able to identify behaviour patterns, but as with any data collection tool, collecting the data is one thing – the true benefit comes from acting on that data and putting in interventions that will benefit the child.  

Some quarters are raising concerns about the ethics of using AI generally, especially in relation to privacy and data security. Wider concerns focus on the safety aspect especially if the toys are connected to the internet as we know that the internet can be a source of great good, but also it has many dangers. After all, parents want to know that they are getting a ‘Wall-E’ rather than a ‘Terminator’ if they buy an AI toy! 

Other concerns focus on what some see as an excessive dependency on technology which might lead to an over-reliance on this for entertainment and learning, potentially negatively impacting children’s creativity and social skills.  

Cost is another barrier currently in many circles because AI toys are more expensive than traditional toys due to their advanced capabilities. However, as with personal computers and smartphones, the cost is predicted to decrease in future years.  

It is important for practitioners and parents to weigh these potential drawbacks against the benefits and make informed decisions about incorporating AI toys into their children’s playtime.  

How Can AI Toys Be Used In Early Years? 

As we’ve seen, AI toys can be a valuable tool for early years practitioners to enhance children's learning and development. Here are some ways you could use them in your setting: 

• Promote investigation - choose toys that encourage children to ask questions, explore, and engage in problem-solving activities 
• Support social and emotional development – use toys that help children develop their social and emotional competencies, such as conversational toys which provide an interactive response. These can be particularly beneficial for children with diverse needs, offering tailored support through play. Make sure that there is plenty of personal interaction with real practitioners and people too 
• Enhancing language skills – use toys that can "hear" and respond to children and/or can help improve their language and communication skills such as engaging children in conversations, asking questions, and providing feedback. This can help EAL children especially 
• Help with literacy and numeracy – many AI toys and games are already being used to help learners in these areas 
• Encourage STEM/STEAM learning – AI toys can introduce young children to basic concepts in science, technology, engineering and maths, and making them fun and interactive at a very early age 
• Personalise learning – depending on the needs of the child, personalised learning can help them overcome individual barriers that might otherwise hold them back 

By incorporating AI toys into early years practice, you can create a more dynamic and engaging learning environment for children provided you keep an oversight of what you want to teach and what is being learned. Many of us have grown up in the “Toy Story” era, empathising with Woody as the newer, more advanced Buzz Lightyear appeared to replace his traditional values. Truth is, toys have now moved on, and now, Woody’s response of “There’s a snake in my boot” could be made in response to a real-time problem!