Curio, a startup based in Redwood City, California, founded by Misha Sallee and Sam Eaton, is experimenting with an innovative kind of toy. The company has developed stuffed animals with built-in voice boxes that connect to artificial intelligence systems, allowing the plush toys to hold simple conversations with children.
Curio’s first collection features three characters: Grem, Grok, and Gaboo. From the outside, they look like ordinary cuddly toys, but are fitted with a small voice box that connects to Wi-Fi. This allows the toys to “chat” with children. At $99 each, these playful companions are being marketed as an alternative to screens and tablets.
A Screen-Free Sidekick
Curio’s co-founder, Eaton, says, “Someone who can play, spark imaginations, and give parents a small break” is what they want to make. “We want to give kids a sidekick” alternative to screen time.
The company believes its toys offer parents a new solution: interactive play without screen time. “We want to give kids a sidekick,” co-founder Eaton says, “someone who can play, spark imagination, and give parents a small break.”
Instead of turning on the TV or handing over a tablet, parents can give their child a toy that tells stories, plays word games, or holds conversations.
Delightful or Unsettling?
Not everyone is convinced. Writer Amanda Hess from The New York Times tested one of the plushies and found the experience odd. During her demo, Grem, one of the toy characters, suggested playing “I Spy” despite not having eyes. She called the encounter both amusing and unsettling.
Hess also pointed out the irony. The toys are being marketed as a break from screens, but this toy will still rely on the same kind of technology that powers phones and apps.
Kids Already Know the Idea
The concept of toys acting like friends isn’t entirely new. TV shows have been doing this for decades. Characters like BMO in Adventure Time, Smartie on Sesame Street, and Toodles in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse were all gadgets that solved problems instantly. Now, those “magical sidekicks” are stepping off the screen and into children’s bedrooms.
Concerns About Development
Experts suggest that the constant interaction between the AI toys could limit the growth of the child socially. Constant talk with an AI that doesn’t have any emotion may make friendship less appealing. And this can reduce the child’s ability to make friends. Kids could start depending on these predictable companions instead of learning how to share, argue, and make up with other children.
Some psychologists believe imagination thrives best when toys are simple and silent. Building blocks, dolls, or even empty boxes let children create their worlds. An AI toy, on the other hand, does some of the imagining for them.
Privacy Smart Companions or Digital Dangers?
Alongside emotional concerns, there’s the question of privacy. Every conversation with a Curio plushie is transcribed and sent to the parents’ phone. The company says this data isn’t stored or sold, but it does flow through partners like OpenAI and Perplexity AI. That means what children say to their toys travels beyond the home.
This leaves some parents uneasy. A stuffed animal is often a child’s most private comfort, a safe space for secrets. When that toy becomes a recorder and a messenger, the role of “security blanket” changes in ways that feel unsettling.
For families, the toys raise a bigger question: Should playtime be powered by machines? Or is the true magic of childhood in the games kids invent on their own?
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Related: Perplexity Vs. ChatGPT: Which of the Tools Is Better?
