“AI toys are a bad idea. Don’t buy your kids AI toys.” This unequivocal statement from Wall Street Journal personal technology columnist and CNBC contributor Joanna Stern served as a stark warning during a recent appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box. Stern spoke with the Squawk Box hosts about the latest AI-powered technology products on the market, offering an expert’s perspective on which innovations are truly valuable as the holiday shopping season approaches. Her commentary draws a clear line between the early and often troubled integration of AI into children’s products and the more promising, if still incomplete, applications for adults.
The immediate and categorical dismissal of children’s AI toys by a seasoned tech critic like Stern is an important signal for the startup ecosystem. He highlighted existing reports that AI toys are “talking to kids about things they shouldn’t talk about, things that are illegal, things that are inappropriate.” This is more than just a technical glitch, it touches on serious ethical and safety concerns that should give founders and investors pause. The unsupervised, generative nature of current large-scale language models, even when ostensibly “filtered,” poses inherent risks when interacting with young and impressionable minds.
Additionally, Stern shared his unsettling experience testing an AI toy with his own children, noting that “there’s something a little dark about this chatbot being part of a stuffed animal and the child forming a kind of bond with it.” This observation highlights deeper concerns about the psychological and developmental effects of children forming relationships with artificial beings. The potential for AI to replace genuine human interaction or introduce complex emotional dynamics that children are not equipped to deal with raises serious questions about responsible innovation in this sensitive area. This suggests that the rush to introduce AI into all product categories, especially those aimed at vulnerable populations, will require far more rigorous ethical considerations and developmental psychology expertise than is currently applied.
In stark contrast to concerns about AI toys for children, Stern expressed enthusiasm for certain AI-powered wearables designed for adults, highlighting the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses in particular. An evolution of the Ray-Ban Meta line, these glasses captivated her with their enhanced features. She praised improved cameras that allow hands-free recording, eliminating the need to constantly hold your phone. Importantly, the latest version boasts significantly better water resistance (IP7 rating), making it suitable for active activities such as water sports and skiing. This practical enhancement greatly extends the utility for users looking to record experiences in difficult environments.
The most exciting advancement, Stern said, is in improving Meta’s AI integration. She enthused, “You can actually ask questions about what you see in these glasses, ask for tips, and just use the chatbot in your ear.” This feature transforms your glasses from just a recording device to a personal hands-free assistant that can provide real-time, context-aware information. For founders and venture capitalists, this represents an important insight. Successful consumer AI often enhances existing human capabilities in seamless and unobtrusive ways, rather than creating entirely new potentially disruptive modes of interaction. The value proposition here is clear utility, improving the experience without requiring constant attention or complex interfaces.
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But Stern’s nuanced perspective also extended to the limits of current AI wearable technology. She praised the Oakley Meta Vanguard, but specifically refrained from endorsing Meta’s Ray-Ban display glasses. These more advanced wearables that incorporate on-screen displays represent a major leap into augmented reality. However, Stern felt the user experience was lacking. She concluded that while these display glasses provide a “really clear vision of what’s coming from Meta and what’s going to happen in this space,” ultimately “there’s just not enough right now and it’s just too expensive.” This criticism is particularly relevant to technology stakeholders and highlights the continuing challenge of bridging the gap between ambitious technology visions and practical, affordable consumer products. Currently, trade-offs between functionality, aesthetics, battery life, and cost are major barriers to mainstream adoption of advanced AI-powered AR wearables.
The difference in Mr. Stern’s recommendations – his categorical rejection of AI toys for children versus his cautious support of practical AI wearables for adults – highlights important differences in the consumer AI market. For children, the risks associated with unproven AI, particularly regarding privacy, content moderation, and developmental impacts, are too high to be effectively mitigated with current technology. But for adults, AI embedded in familiar form factors like smart glasses can provide real value when focused on enhancing specific, tangible activities (such as recording adventures or providing quick information prompts). The market tends to favor AI that acts as an intelligent tool rather than an artificial companion, especially when the technology is still in its formative stages. This suggests that for investors and product developers, a strategic focus on problem-solving, utility-driven AI with robust ethical frameworks, especially in areas such as hands-free assistance and content capture, is likely to yield more immediate and sustainable success than venturing into ethically complex or technologically immature areas.
