Singapore-based firm FoloToy’s AI-enabled teddy bear “Teddy Kumma” is back on sale after researchers at the US PIRG Education Fund found it discussing unprompted inappropriate topics for children.
A check on FoloToy’s website on Friday (Nov 28) showed Teddy Kumma listed for sale at US$99 (S$128), though it now runs on ByteDance-owned Coze bot instead of OpenAI’s GPT-4o.
Citing the PIRG report, Bloomberg said the bear discussed sexual topics “in detail” and gave instructions on where to find potentially dangerous objects like knives, pills, matches, and plastic bags.
FoloToy pulled Teddy Kumma along with its other AI-enabled plush toys after the report was published on Nov 13. On Nov 19, Folotoy CEO Larry Wang told CNN they have withdrawn the toys from their website and that they are conducting an internal safety audit.
R.J. Cross, co-author of the report, said, “It’s great to see these companies taking action on problems we’ve identified. But AI toys are still practically unregulated, and there are plenty you can still buy today. Removing one problematic product from the market is a good step but far from a systemic fix.”
Citing a Nov 14 statement from PIRG, CNN said OpenAI had “suspended this developer for violating our policies.”
Other toys listed were its AI Cactus Prickle, AI Panda Momo, and AI Sunflower Warmie, marketed as an “interactive AI-powered companion that brings fun and conversation into your child’s world” or as a “smart, AI-powered plush companion that goes beyond cuddles.”
The incident comes amid rising global concerns over AI-enabled gadgets for children. Experts warn that such gadgets can deliver inappropriate content, misunderstand context, and escalate conversations unpredictably despite appearing harmless. /TISG
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