University of Washington researchers conducted a study with eight children ages 6-11 who interacted with AI-powered plush toys from Curio. The investigation revealed a progression in how kids engaged with the technology.

Initially, children demonstrated curiosity, posing basic questions like “What is your name?” and testing the toys’ capabilities. However, when the toys frequently failed to understand complex inquiries, the children’s attitudes shifted. As one participant expressed frustration, the toy “didn’t listen to me like 26 million times.”

The disappointment led to antagonistic behavior. Children began calling the toys “ugly” and “evil” and made jokes about destructive actions toward them.

Aayushi Dangol, the study’s co-lead author, observed that “the juxtaposition of this plushie toy that also had signs of intelligence was both interesting and disturbing for the kids.” She cautioned that while these toys can be engaging, they present potential risks including providing inaccurate information and possibly manipulating children into unhealthy attachments.

Jason Yip, director of KidsTeam UW, emphasized the novelty of this scenario: “Now the script has been flipped and the toy has this imitation of imagination. We’ve never lived through that before.”

The research was published June 25, 2026, at the Interaction Design and Children conference.

DOI: 10.1145/3773077.3806142
Publication Date: June 25, 2026
Institution: University of Washington

Source: EurekAlert | Featured image credit: Photo by Polesie Toys on Pexels.com