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Barbie maker Mattel officially collaborated to create a new generation of AI-powered toys and games. Announced last Thursday, the collaboration aims to combine Mattel's decades of experience in children's entertainment with Openai's cutting-edge AI tools, including ChatGpt, to build an “age-friendly play experience” imbued with artificial intelligence.
Rethinking large-scale play
“Each of our products and experiences is designed to inspire fans, entertain audiences and enrich lives through play,” said Josh Silverman, Mattel's Chief Franchise Head, in a post about the news. “AI has the power to expand its mission and expand the range of brands in new and exciting ways. Working with Openai allows us to leverage new technology, solidify our innovation leadership and rethink new forms.”
This isn't just about adding voice commands and flashy features to the toy. Mattel says he's rethinking play from scratch using Openai's advanced tools. This includes using ChatGpt Enterprises throughout operations to help you develop product, brainstorm and engage with fans.
“We are committed to providing a range of services that are important to us,” said Brad LightCap, Chief Operating Officer at OpenAI. “With Openai, Mattel gives us access to an advanced set of AI capabilities, along with new tools that enable large-scale productivity, creativity, and company-wide transformation.”
Prioritizing “Safety, Privacy and Security”
This is not Mattel's first experiment with AI. In 2015, the company partnered with ToyTalk to release “Hello Barbie,” a Wi-Fi-enabled doll that allows children to have conversations. Although innovative, the product caused privacy concerns and was eventually discontinued.
This time, Mattel doubles its safety and responsibility. In a statement, Mattel emphasized the prioritization of “safety, privacy and security of products and experiences that are on the market.”
Diversification in the toy industry
Mattel's move comes at a challenging time for the toys industry. Consumers are cutting spending, and the company recently pulled out annual forecasts due to rising supply chain costs. They also announced plans to raise prices for certain domestic products.
To move on, Mattel is leaning towards the entertainment side, releasing movies, mobile games and TV shows based on popular toy brands. The new AI initiative is part of a strategy to diversify and modernize its offerings.
Debut soon – Probably
The first product of this collaboration is expected to be announced in the second half of 2025. Reports show that the first AI toy or game can be targeted to users over the age of 13.
