The question I am asked repeatedly by journalists, columnists, relatives at Easter dinner, is how is AI going to transform the toy business?
They are not asking questions about enhanced design capabilities, more efficiently targeted marketing, or manufacturing advances—all of which are in the pipeline in a variety of industries.
No, they want to know if play will be materially changed by the advent of AI. My answer to date has been curmudgeonly (somewhat) one for the simple reason that you cannot simulate the development of a child’s brain through any technology.
What we’ve observed over years of working with children is that—any anomalies excepted—children’s development is very consistent. The world around them changes; the tools they use to explore that world may become more sophisticated and reflective of the current world, but what kids can do doesn’t change that much.
Central to this process is the development of imagination. I was in a meeting in Hong Kong in January and was being pitched a technology that could “improve” the stories that children make up. The premise was that a 5-year-old’s stories are somewhat random and not necessarily coherent or comprehensible by an adult. This AI tool was going to take what the child had written and turn it into a “good” story.
This is a very bad idea. First, who is determining what a “good story” is? That alone should raise the hair on the back of your neck. Second, and much more to the point, no one should ever tell a child who is engaging their imagination that there is a “right” way or “better” way to do it. The exploration is everything. The narratives children make up with their toys or in their play are distinct to who they are at that moment in time, and the freedom to do that without judgment or “improvement” is the very essence of developing and exercising the imagination.
This goes to a point that is near and dear to my heart—understanding a child’s perception and cognitive ability at a specific age. When an adult sensibility is applied to a child’s toy, it very often leaves the child cold. They simply aren’t ready for that level of thinking yet. It goes back to the old saw about the kid playing with the box rather than the toy. At a certain age and with certain toys, the box is much more entertaining.
Will AI impact toys in a good way in the future? Most likely, but from this vantage point, it seems as though that will be mostly in terms of personalization and the ability to respond to a child’s prompts. AI running in the background may add something to a toy, but the question I always have when bells and whistles are added—particularly to preschool toys—is: is it necessary?
A child’s real imagination and growing, anything-but-artificial intelligence is sufficient to animate a toy and provide a rich, personal, and meaningful play experience. All the algorithms in the world—no matter how brilliantly crafted—will ever be able to replace the unique intelligence and creativity a child brings to their play.
Why would you ever want to “outsource” that and limit the astonishingly plastic elements of a developing child?
How are you approaching AI in your business?
