AI toys are suddenly everywhere. I advise you not to give them to your children.

If you’re considering buying your child an AI-powered toy for the holidays, may I suggest not doing so? I’m sure most readers would be horrified at the very idea anyway, but things will soon be hard to avoid. The market is booming and, according to MIT Technology ReviewThere are already more than 1,500 AI toy companies in China. With Mattel, owner of the Barbie brand, announcing a “strategic collaboration” with OpenAI, you can be sure there will soon be more strange objects at a department store near you.

Let me caution anyone who might be intrigued by the idea that there might be a chatbot tender. In September, I let my four-year-old son use an AI-powered stuffed animal called Grem for a few days. Developed by a company called Curio in collaboration with musician Grimes, it uses OpenAI technology to have personalized conversations and play interactive games with your child.