AI in the Toy Box: How Parents View AI-Enabled Toys for Young Children

Key Findings

• — 49% of parents have purchased or are considering AI-enabled toys or devices for their child; 43% do not own one and do not intend to buy.
• — Parents of children aged 5 to 8 are more likely than parents of 0 to 4s to already own an AI-enabled toy (19% vs 12%); adoption and purchase intent is highest among Black parents (78%) compared with Hispanic (61%) and White parents (36%).
• — 19% of parents would at least somewhat like an AI toy or device to be a companion for their child; 56% say they do not want AI-enabled toys to serve as a companion or sidekick.
• — Collection of personal information is parents' top concern, cited by 83%.
• — Interest drops sharply when toys are framed as emotional supports or 'friends'; the authors describe parents drawing a clear line between AI as a tool and AI as a companion.
• — Only 4% of parents whose children use AI toys report the toy having said something inappropriate.

Methodology Notes

Survey of 1,004 US parents of children aged 0 to 8, conducted 1 to 8 December 2025 by SSRS with funding from Common Sense Media; weighted; margin of sampling error ±3.4 percentage points for the full weighted sample. Self-report; the paper does not test any toy. Research funded by the Bezos Family Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the Siegel Family Endowment and named individual donors. Published 2026-01-22 (date printed on the landing page); 20-page PDF; suggested citation Robb & Mann (2026).

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