Buying an AI toy? Read this first

Why this matters at Christmas

Shops are full of cute robots and talking pets that answer questions over Wi-Fi. Kids treat them like friends. From a privacy point of view, they work more like a chatbot with a microphone in your lounge room.

What went wrong with one popular toy

In October 2026, The Verge reported that a security researcher could read about 13 million conversations from Energize Lab's Eiliko robots. The biggest market was the United States, with more than 31,000 children's profiles. The data included names, ages, addresses, photos and short audio clips, some stored at open web addresses. The toy told owners their secrets were safe.

Energize Lab later said it had closed outside access, stopped storing chats and profiles, and would hire an independent security review. The Verge wrote that photos and audio were still exposed after that statement. Treat any company's "we've fixed it" claim as unfinished until independent reporters or researchers confirm it.

What to check before you buy

Read the privacy policy. Look for where chats, voice and photos are stored, how long they're kept, and whether they're shared with other companies.
Ask whether it needs Wi-Fi or an account. Toys that work offline, or without a cloud account, keep less of your family's talk on someone else's server.
Turn off chat memory and cloud features if the app lets you. If you can't turn them off, assume chats are stored.
Check the camera and mic. Prefer toys without a camera for younger kids. Cover or disable a camera you don't need.
Teach the same rules you use for chatbots. No full names, no address, no school, no passwords, no secrets. See our Family AI rules.

If you already own one

Delete the account and chat history in the app if your child has stopped using it.
Remove the toy from Wi-Fi when it's not in use, or put it in a drawer.
Talk calmly with kids about what they may already have told it.

More detail

Family AI rules and Is it safe to share personal info with AI?

General information only, not legal advice. Laws and rules differ between countries and regions, so always check what applies where you live, and get professional advice for your situation.