Does Your Teddy Bear Really Need a Side Hustle in Data Collection?
We’re all more than a little alarmed by the vast quantities of artificial intelligence (AI) toys being marketed for the holidays this year. It’s pretty grim.
After all, does a teddy bear really need to have artificial intelligence embedded in it? Really?
For what purpose? So that a child can stop using their imaginations to fuel their own stories and let AI drive the narrative instead? Or so that somebody, somewhere, can collect information on the child and use it against them later in life? Or sell them something they don’t need?
Who, exactly, are all these AI toys serving? It’s certainly not the children. More studies have come out telling us that rampant AI use blunts critical thinking and creative skills. And the environmental impact of the data centers is mind-blowing.
So, no, we’re not exactly fans of AI-powered toys for children. Heck, we’re not even pro-AI toys for adults, either!
The beauty of a wooden block is that a child can use it for anything. It’s open ended play at its finest. In a child’s hands, a block can become anything: a telephone, a space ship, or yes, even an AI-powered monkey butt.
Because why not?
If a child wants an AI-powered monkey butt, why, all they have to do is imagine it, and voila! A block can instantly be transformed into an ai-powered monkey butt. No need to have some nameless, faceless corporation collect data on a child while they play with their self-imagined, ai-powered monkey butt that they invented while giggling with a set of blocks.
And we can 100% guarantee that when your child plays with Uncle Goose blocks, the wood isn’t spying on them. Not a single one of our toys is listening to them babble about whatever monkey-butt thing they’re creating and imagining.
Imagine that! Children are free to build towers without corporate oversight. Free to make mistakes. Free to create something from scratch. Free to learn, grow, and play.
Listen, we know AI-powered toys are the latest fad, but honestly. If you care about learning, imagination, and creativity - go old school. Get a pack of blocks, instead.
