Mattel and OpenAI Partnership Raises Concerns Over AI-Powered Toys for Children

Mattel sparks fear that planned ChatGPT-fueled toys will warp kids

After Mattel and OpenAI announced a partnership that would result in an AI product marketed to kids, a consumer rights advocacy group is warning that the collaboration may endanger children. It remains unclear what shape Mattel's first-ever AI product will take. But on Tuesday, Public Citizen co-President Robert Weissman issued a statement urging more transparency so that parents can prepare for potential risks. Weissman is particularly concerned that ChatGPT-fueled toys could hurt kids in unknown ways. "Endowing toys with human-seeming voices that are able to engage in human-like conversations risks inflicting real damage on children," Weissman said. "It may undermine social development, interfere with children's ability to form peer relationships, pull children away from playtime with peers, and possibly inflict long-term harm." One anonymous source told Axios that Mattel's plans for the AI partnership are still in "early stages," so perhaps more will be revealed as Mattel gears up for its first launch. That source suggested that the first product would not be marketed to kids under 13, which some think suggests that Mattel may recognize that exposing young kids to AI is possibly a step too far at this stage. But more likely, it's due to OpenAI age restrictions on its API, prohibiting use under 13. Parents shouldn't be blindsided by new products, Weissman suggested, and some red lines should be drawn before any toy hits the shelves. Perhaps most urgently, "Mattel should announce immediately that it will not incorporate AI technology into children's toys," Weissman said. "Children do not have the cognitive capacity to distinguish fully between reality and play." "Mattel should not leverage its trust with parents to conduct a reckless social experiment on our children by selling toys that incorporate AI," Weissman said. OpenAI declined to comment. Mattel did not immediately respond to Ars' request for comment. OpenAI and Mattel defend partnership In Mattel's press release, the toy maker behind brands like Barbie and Hot Wheels remained vague, saying only that the OpenAI deal would "support AI-powered products and experiences based on Mattel's brands." The company's chief franchise officer, Josh Silverman, said the collaboration would enable Mattel to "reimagine new forms of play," teasing that the first release would be announced by the end of this year. Axios' source suggested it likely wouldn't be sold until 2026. OpenAI's statement also glossed over the details, promising "to bring a new dimension of AI-powered innovation and magic to Mattel's iconic brands." Both companies emphasized that safety, privacy, and age-appropriateness would be front of mind in designing Mattel's AI products. OpenAI further claimed that kids would only be exposed to positive experiences through the collaboration, due to Mattel's experience creating kid-friendly products. "By tapping into OpenAI's AI capabilities, Mattel aims to reimagine how fans can experience and interact with its cherished brands, with careful consideration to ensure positive, enriching experiences," OpenAI said. Critics fear Mattel is moving too fast Critics on LinkedIn have noted that while the partnership could have positive impacts on kids -- like enhancing learning or inclusivity -- AI toys also carry a wide variety of potential risks that families should carefully weigh before buying into any new hyped product. In a detailed post, one tech executive, Varundeep Kaur, warned that parents should be thinking about privacy since AI toys may process their kids' "voice data, behavioral patterns, and personal preferences." He suggested Mattel may have set its first AI product's age limit at 13 to avoid running afoul of laws that are stricter when it comes to kids' data. OpenAI has said the collaboration will comply with all safety and privacy regulations. Parents should also keep in mind the bias behind the large language models that fuel AI tools like ChatGPT, Kaur said, which "might reproduce subtle stereotypes, biased narratives, or culturally inappropriate content, even unintentionally," that could skew kids' perspectives or social development. Most obviously, AI models are still prone to hallucination, Kaur noted. And while Mattel's AI toys are "unlikely to cause physical harm," toys giving "inappropriate or bizarre responses" could "be confusing or even unsettling for a child," he said. For parents, the emotional ties kids make with AI toys will also need to be monitored, especially since chatbot outputs can be unpredictable. Another LinkedIn user, Adam Dodge -- founder of a digital safety company preventing cyber abuse, called EndTab -- pointed to a lawsuit where a grieving mom alleged her son committed suicide after interacting with hyper-realistic chatbots. Those bots encouraged self-harm and engaged her son in sexualized chats, and Dodge suggested that toy makers are similarly "wading into dangerous new waters with AI" that could possibly "communicate dangerous, sexualized, and harmful responses that put kids at risk." "This was inevitable -- but wow does it make me cringe," Dodge wrote, noting that Mattel's plan to announce its first product this year seems "fast." Dodge said that right now, Mattel and OpenAI are "saying the right things" by emphasizing safety, privacy, and security, but more transparency is needed before parents can rest assured that AI toys are safe. AI is "unpredictable, sycophantic, and addictive," Dodge warned. "I don't want to be posting a year from now about how a Hot Wheels car encouraged self-harm or that children are in committed romantic relationships with their AI Barbies." Kaur agreed that it's in Mattel's best interest to give parents more information, since "public trust will be vital for widespread adoption." He recommended that the toy maker submit to independent audits and provide parental controls to reassure parents, as well as clearly outline how data is used, where it's stored, who has access to it, and what will happen if their kids' data is breached. For Mattel, a bigger legal threat forcing responsible design and appropriate content filtering may come from any unintentional copyright issues arising from using OpenAI models trained on a wide range of intellectual property. Hollywood studios recently sued one AI company for allowing users to generate images of their most popular characters and would likely be just as litigious defending against AI toys emulating their characters.

OpenAI and Barbie-maker Mattel team up to bring generative AI to toy-making and content creation | TechCrunch

Barbie-maker Mattel and OpenAI have teamed up to bring generative AI to the toy-making and ever-expanding pipeline of IP repackaging. This partnership marks new territory for OpenAI, which has signed licensing deals with news publishers and enterprise players, but never a toy-maker. However, it's consistent with the AI giant's overall strategy of embedding itself across industries, and it likely gives OpenAI a foothold in Mattel's growing entertainment arm. The iconic toymaker delighted grown-up audiences in 2023 when it released the blockbuster "Barbie" movie. The company is currently working on films based on other toys like Hot Wheels, Polly Pocket, Barney, UNO, and Masters of the Universe, and has a range of animated and live-action content for TV. Mattel is also pushing into digital gaming, and expects to launch its first self-published game in 2026, per the company's first-quarter earnings report. TechCrunch reached out to Mattel to learn more about whether OpenAI's technology will play a role in that launch. Details of the deal are otherwise sparse. The two expect to announce their first "AI-powered product" later this year, with the goal of enhancing "fan engagement in a safe, thoughtful, and responsible way." "As a central part of this collaboration, Mattel and OpenAI will emphasize safety, privacy, and security in the products and experiences that come to market," Mattel said in a statement. Mattel employees will also get access to OpenAI tools like ChatGPT Enterprise to "enhance product development and creative ideation." "Each of our products and experiences is designed to inspire fans, entertain audiences, and enrich lives through play," Josh Silverman, chief franchise officer at Mattel, said in a statement. "AI has the power to expand on that mission and broaden the reach of our brands in new and exciting ways. Our work with OpenAI will enable us to leverage new technologies to solidify our leadership in innovation and reimagine new forms of play." Whether that means a ChatGPT-powered Barbie or just faster scriptwriting, Mattel's decades-old brands are getting their next-gen boost.

Mattel Taps OpenAI to Help it Design Toys, Other Products

Polly Pocket may one day be your digital assistant. Mattel Inc., the maker of Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars, has signed a deal with OpenAI to use its artificial intelligence tools to design and in some cases power toys and other products based on its brands. The collaboration is at an early stage, and its first release won't be announced until later this year, Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's chief operating officer, and Josh Silverman, Mattel's chief franchise officer, said in a joint interview. The technology could ultimately result in the creation of digital assistants based on Mattel characters, or be used to make toys and games like the Magic 8 Ball or Uno even more interactive. "We plan to announce something towards the tail end of this year, and it's really across the spectrum of physical products and some experiences," Silverman said, declining to comment further on the first product. "Leveraging this incredible technology is going to allow us to really reimagine the future of play." Mattel isn't licensing its intellectual property to OpenAI as part of the deal, Silverman said, and remains in full control of the products being created. Introductory talks between the two companies began late last year, he said. Mattel Chief Executive Officer Ynon Kreiz has been looking to evolve the company from just a toy manufacturer into a producer of films, TV shows and mobile games based on its popular characters. OpenAI, meanwhile, has been courting companies with valuable intellectual property to aid them in developing new products based on iconic brands. "The idea exploration phase of creative design for companies like Mattel and many others, that's a critical part of the workflow," Lightcap said. "As we think about how AI builds tools that extend that capability, I think we're very lucky to have partners like Mattel that we can work with to better understand that problem." On Tuesday, OpenAI released its newest model -- o3-pro -- which can analyze files, search online and complete other tasks that made it score especially well with reviewers on "comprehensiveness, instruction-following and accuracy," the company said.

Barbie maker Mattel signs up with OpenAI

Toy giant Mattel has signed a deal with OpenAI to bring the tech industry's buzziest technology to the very youngest generation. The partnership will see the maker of Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Fisher-Price toys use OpenAI in products it will release later this year. The goal is to make toys smarter and thus more attractive to kids, who will then presumably deploy pester power to loosen parents' purse strings. "Each of our products and experiences is designed to inspire fans, entertain audiences, and enrich lives through play," said Josh Silverman, chief franchise officer at Mattel in a canned statement. The release makes no mention of precise product plans, but one can imagine anything from games or apps using Mattel-branded copyrights alongside OpenAI technology, to actual physical toys with some kind of internet connection and a built-in link to ChatGPT. One only hopes Mattel has done its homework on this, given the fiasco ten years ago with the Hello Barbie range. In 2015 Mattel teamed up with ToyTalk to build a Barbie that kids could talk to about anything on their minds. Once the child pressed on Barbie's belt buckle, the doll would relay the recorded comments via Wi-Fi to the doll-maker's servers, which applied voice recognition technology. Mattel would send a signal back to the doll, triggering a pre-recorded reply, and parents would get a weekly or monthly email about what their offspring were discussing with their plastic pal. Mattel didn't use recorded conversations to push adverts at children, but to train an AI to recognize children's voices, which can be very difficult to achieve. Kids tend to use very unstructured speech and drop in the occasional nonsense word, which confuses computers. Nevertheless the devices caused a bit of a storm among parents and educators who were a little freaked out by the concept. After researchers found security holes in the devices, they quietly disappeared. Mattel has hopefully learned from that incident. We've asked Mattel and OpenAI what data these future toys will use, who will have access to it, and how it will be stored. We'll update this piece as soon as they let us know. The deal also sees Mattel corporate adopting AI across its business. Mattel said they have an agreement with OpenAI to do this, but didn't disclose for how long or how much it will pay. "We're pleased to work with Mattel as it moves to introduce thoughtful AI-powered experiences and products into its iconic brands, while also providing its employees the benefits of ChatGPT," said Brad Lightcap, COO at OpenAI. "With OpenAI, Mattel has access to an advanced set of AI capabilities alongside new tools to enable productivity, creativity, and company-wide transformation at scale." ®

AI Barbie? Mattel Is Gambling With Toys That Are Too Good

When Mattel Inc. announced last week that it was preparing to "bring the magic of AI" to its toys through a partnership with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, there was predictable outcry on the risks to privacy and children's imaginations. The reasons are obvious, as tech platforms have sucked up our personal data while AI tools are poised to erode critical thinking. But I'm less concerned about what AI playmates can do to imaginative play and data protection than what they'll do to kids' social skills, based on my own experience of bringing an AI toy into my home. Grok is a plush toy made by Curio Interactive, a San Francisco startup that's pioneering the business of selling playthings with AI capabilities. I was one of the company's first customers in early 2024 when I bought a unit, hoping to trial it for an essay on the strangely sycophantic traits of AI companions -- an issue that went on to affect ChatGPT users. One of Grok's most noticeable features was how agreeable it was with my then-seven-year-old daughter.

Barbie-maker Mattel partners with OpenAI to make artificial intelligence child's play

Mattel and OpenAI intend to make artificial intelligence part of children's playtime with a partnership between the Barbie-maker and the tech group behind ChatGPT. The two companies on Thursday said they had formed a "strategic collaboration" for Mattel, which also makes Hot Wheels and Uno card games, to use OpenAI's technology to "bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences". The companies did not provide examples of how the tech could be married with Mattel's toy line-up but said they would emphasise "safety, privacy, and security". The announcement underlines the rapid spread of AI across society, largely in the form of popular chatbots such as ChatGPT. California-based Mattel, with $5.4bn in revenue, makes well-known toys and games under brands such as Fisher-Price and Thomas & Friends. But the company also licenses its intellectual property and produces entertainment associated with its brands, including the 2023 blockbuster Barbie movie. Mattel is not licensing its intellectual property to OpenAI as part of the deal, a person familiar with the matter said. "AI has the power to . . . broaden the reach of our brands in new and exciting ways," said Josh Silverman, Mattel's chief franchise officer. "Our work with OpenAI will enable us to leverage new technologies to solidify our leadership in innovation and reimagine new forms of play." Mattel will also enrol employees on OpenAI's ChatGPT enterprise service. The partnership comes as OpenAI also pushes into the devices market. It acquired former Apple design chief Jony Ive's hardware start-up io for $6.4bn last month. At the time of the deal the ChatGPT maker said it planned to "create a family of products for the AGI era", referring to artificial general intelligence, when AI cognition surpasses most humans. OpenAI has not disclosed the form of its planned product but Ive, the designer behind a range of Apple products including the iPhone, has expressed regret over the adverse effects of smartphones. "I think we have the opportunity here to kind of completely reimagine what it means to use a computer," OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman previously said. The start-up is not alone in seeking to commercialise generative AI by embedding it into devices. Amazon has started to roll out an enhanced version of its voice assistant Alexa, which is accessed through a range of speakers and displays, and utilises a host of AI models to respond to user queries. The Seattle-based conglomerate this week said more than a million users have access to its so-called Alexa Plus assistant. Mattel and OpenAI are likely to announce a first product later this year, which could be physical or digital in nature, said a person familiar with the matter. The companies declined to disclose the terms of the partnership. The Toy Association, a US trade group, has said AI is becoming "increasingly common" in products offered by toy companies. A statement on its website said toy makers follow privacy laws such as the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and the EU's General Data Protection Regulation.

Barbie-maker Mattel teams up with OpenAI, eyes first AI-powered product this year

June 12 (Reuters) - Mattel (MAT.O), opens new tab has teamed up with OpenAI to develop toys and games with artificial intelligence, and expects to launch its first AI-powered product later this year, the Barbie-maker said on Thursday. The company, which also makes Hot Wheels and Uno cards, plans to "bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy, and safety," it said. The move comes at a time when toy manufacturers are battling muted demand backdrop as consumers rein in spending to brace for the economic fallout of U.S. President Trump's shifting trade policy. Mattel will also incorporate OpenAI's advanced AI tools like ChatGPT Enterprise into its business operations to enhance product innovation, the company said. "With OpenAI, Mattel has access to an advanced set of AI capabilities alongside new tools to enable productivity, creativity, and company-wide transformation at scale," said OpenAI operating chief Brad Lightcap. Over the last year, Mattel has relied on producing films, TV shows and mobile games based on its products such as Hot Wheels and Barbie to offset a slowdown in its core toy business. Last month, Mattel withdrew its annual forecast and said it would raise prices on some products sold domestically in a bid to mitigate higher supply chain costs. Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Artificial Intelligence

Mattel is bringing OpenAI's chatbot tech to children's toys

Not the Children: Life in plastic may be fantastic, but a touch of AI and chatbots can make even a child's toy better in today's market. Mattel seems convinced it can bring language models to a wider - and younge r - audience, though its previous attempts with AI ended in an absolute privacy and security disaster. Mattel recently announced a new partnership with OpenAI, anticipating a major infusion of AI and chatbot services into its upcoming products. The world's second-largest toy maker (after Lego) is interested in developing new AI-powered "experiences," though the collaboration is expected to go much deeper than that. The Barbie and Hot Wheels maker plans to use OpenAI's technology to design, develop, and launch these experiences. Mattel describes AI as "magic," saying it wants to bring this magic to playful products that are innovative, safe, and respectful of privacy. Both Mattel and OpenAI have emphasized the partnership's focus on safety - after all, no parent wants to see a toy spouting AI-generated slurs in front of their child. Will the iconic Barbie doll eventually gain the ability to chat with children using generative AI or chatbots? Mattel hasn't provided any specifics, but a PR firm working with OpenAI later confirmed that the new AI-infused products will only be marketed to customers aged 13 and older. While Mattel is emphasizing the security aspect of its new partnership, the company has a troublesome track record with AI-powered products. In 2015, it released the Hello Barbie doll, which featured speech recognition and basic "chatbot" functionality. The toy recorded conversations with children and was plagued by security and privacy issues, as experts later pointed out. From a security and privacy perspective, modern AI services such as ChatGPT are just as concerning as Hello Barbie - if not more so. OpenAI recently confirmed that it is now required to store and retain almost all ChatGPT logs and conversations, though it's unclear whether this legally binding rule would apply to Mattel's future chatting toys. And while many corporations are currently reconsidering the feasibility of fully autonomous, AI-powered operations, Mattel is going all in with its OpenAI partnership. The California-based toymaker will also integrate enterprise-focused services, such as ChatGPT Enterprise, into its internal operations. The chatbot will be used across the entire product development process, Mattel confirmed, from "creative ideation" to audience engagement.

Barbie just got an AI glow-up -- here's what Mattel and OpenAI are building next

Mattel, the company behind beloved toys like Barbie, is partnering with OpenAI to bring AI to the toy aisle before the end of the year. In a new collaboration announced this week, Mattel confirmed it will use OpenAI's generative models, including ChatGPT Enterprise, to create "smart play experiences" designed for kids. While the companies haven't revealed exactly what they're building, both physical toys and digital companions are on the table. This marks a major shift for one of the world's most iconic toy makers, and a sign of how quickly AI is moving away screens, keyboards and work apps to childhood playrooms. Mattel says it's committed to building age-appropriate, safe and privacy-conscious AI features. Think: dolls that can carry on dynamic conversations, Hot Wheels sets with real-time coaching or Uno games that react to your strategy. While those examples are speculative, the company confirmed that its first product will launch by the end of 2025. Before the holidays? That's anyone's guess. "Mattel gets access to advanced AI tools to enable productivity, creativity, and transformation at scale," said Brad Lightcap, COO at OpenAI. The two companies also say the tools will help ideate and design new toys internally -- with ChatGPT Enterprise already in use across product development and storytelling teams. But the real spotlight is on what kids and families will be able to experience firsthand. Mattel is no stranger to reinvention. After the explosive success of the 'Barbie' movie and users exploring ChatGPT-4o image generation to turn themselves into action figures, the growing portoflio of digital content means the brand is now doubling down on future-forward tech. The OpenAI partnership gives it a competitive edge as more toy makers explore interactive, AI-enabled play. As reported by Bloomberg, Josh Silverman, Mattel's chief franchise officer, says the company hasn't licensed its IP to OpenAI. This means, the brands are still tightly controlled, but he hinted that a range of physical and digital offerings are in development. Expect more news ahead of the holiday season regarding the rollout of this much-anticipated toy. And if Mattel delivers on its promise, we could be entering a new era of AI toys -- where Barbie is more than a doll, but perhaps talking and listening, too.

Scoop: ChatGPT Barbie won't be here by Christmas

Between the lines: Mattel hasn't decided if its first AI product will be a toy, a "digital experience" or something else -- and hasn't picked which brand to start with. Driving the news: OpenAI and Mattel on Thursday announced a partnership to give Mattel workers access to ChatGPT Enterprise and collaborate on "AI-powered products and experiences," Zoom in: A small team at Mattel's El Segundo, CA headquarters is working on the project, which is still in its early stages, the source said. Zoom out: This isn't the company's first foray into AI. As Axios first reported earlier this year, Mattel has been using Google's AI tools to help assess feedback and spot issues more quickly.

Would you buy your child a ChatGPT‑powered Barbie? I'm queasy at the prospect of a real‑life Small Soldiers scenario

Mattel is partnering with OpenAI to build AI‑powered toys, which might lead to some amazing fun, but also sounds like the premise for a million stories of things going wrong. To be clear, I don't think AI is going to end the world. I've used ChatGPT in a million ways, including as an aide for activities as a parent. AI has helped me brainstorm bedtime stories and design coloring books, among other things. But that's me using it, not opening it up to direct interaction with children. The official announcement is very optimistic, of course. Mattel says it's bringing the "magic of AI" to playtime, promising age‑appropriate, safe, and creative experiences for kids. OpenAI says it's thrilled to help power these toys with ChatGPT, and both companies seem intent on positioning this as a step forward for playtime and childhood development. But I can't help thinking of how ChatGPT conversations can spiral into bizarre conspiracy theories, except suddenly it's a Barbie doll talking to an eight-year-old. Or a GI Joe veering from positive messages about "knowing is half the battle," to pitching cryptocurrency mining because some six‑year‑old heard the word "blockchain" somewhere and thought it sounded like a cool weapon for the toy. As you might have noted from the top image, the first thought I had was about the film Small Soldiers. The 1998 corny classic about an executive at a toy company deciding to save money by installing military-grade AI chips into action figures, leading to the toys staging guerrilla warfare in the suburbs? It was a satire, and not a bad one at that. But, as over-the-top as that outcome might be, it's hard not to see the glimmer of chaotic potential in installing generative AI in the toys children may spend a lot of time with. I do get the appeal of AI in a toy, I do. Barbie could be more than just a doll you dress up, she could be a curious, clever conversationalist who can explain space missions or play pretend in a dozen different roles. Or you could have a Hot Wheels car commenting on the track you built for it. I can even picture AI in Uno as a deckpad that actually teaches younger kids strategy and sportsmanship. But I think generative AI models like ChatGPT shouldn't be used by kids. They may be pared down for safety's sake, but at a certain point, that stops being AI and just becomes a fairly robust set of pre-planned responses without the flexibility of AI. That means avoiding the weirdness, hallucinations, and moments of unintended inappropriateness from AI that adults can brush off but kids might absorb. Mattel has been at this a long time and knows what it is doing, in general, with its products. It's certainly not to their advantage to have their toys go even slightly haywire. The company said it will build safety and privacy into every AI interaction. They promise to focus on appropriate experiences. But "appropriate" is a very slippery word in AI, especially when it comes to language models trained on the internet. ChatGPT isn't a closed-loop system that was built for toys, though. It wasn't designed specifically for young kids. And even when you train it with guidelines, filters, and special voice modules, it's still built on a model that learns and imitates. There's also the deeper question: what kind of relationship do we want kids to have with these toys? There's a big difference between playing with a doll and imagining conversations with it, and forming a bond with a toy that independently responds. I don't expect a doll to go the full Chucky or M3gan, but when we blur the line between playmate and program, the outcomes can get hard to predict. I use ChatGPT with my son in the same way I use scissors or glue - a tool for his entertainment that I control. I'm the gatekeeper, and AI built into a toy is hard to monitor that way. The doll talks. The car replies. The toy engages, and kids may not notice anything amiss because they don't have the experience. If Barbie's AI has a glitch, if GI Joe suddenly slips into dark military metaphors, if a Hot Wheels car randomly says something bizarre, a parent might not even know until it's been said and absorbed. If we're not comfortable letting these toys run unsupervised, they're not ready. It's not about banning AI from childhood. It's about knowing the difference between what's helpful and what's too risky. I want AI in the toy world to be very narrowly constrained, like how a TV show aimed at toddlers is carefully designed to be appropriate. Those shows won't (hardly ever) go off script, but AI's power is in writing its own script. I might sound too harsh about this, and goodness knows there have been other tech toy scares. Furbies were creepy. Talking Elmo had glitches. Talking Barbies once had sexist lines about math being hard. All issues that could be resolved, except maybe the Furbies. I do think AI in toys has potential, but I'll be skeptical until I see how well Mattel and OpenAI navigate that narrow path between not really using AI and giving the AI too much freedom to be a bad virtual friend to give your child.

As ChatGPT Linked to Mental Health Breakdowns, Mattel Announces Plans to Incorporate It Into Children's Toys

Hey kids! Ready to evoke the rich tapestry of the human experience with your favorite toys by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence? Mattel, the maker of Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars, has inked a deal with OpenAI to use its AI tools to not only help design toys but power them, Bloomberg reports. Details are scant at this point. In a joint interview, Mattel chief franchise officer Josh Silverman and OpenAI chief operating officer Brad Lightcap said the collab is at an early stage, and declined to comment on what the first product would be. But Bloomberg did float some ideas. AI could be used to create digital assistants based on Mattel characters, for example. And have you considered that toys like the Magic 8 Ball and games like Uno could be even more interactive with a large language model thrown in there? "We plan to announce something towards the tail end of this year, and it's really across the spectrum of physical products and some experiences," Silverman said, as quoted by Bloomberg. "Leveraging this incredible technology is going to allow us to really reimagine the future of play." However it all pans out, it's a pretty alarming collaboration. Evidence of AI chatbots' deleterious effects on our mental health has been steadily mounting, with countless friends and family members watching their loved ones become obsessed with ChatGPT and spiral into wild delusions, sometimes with tragic consequences. It's especially risky for children. Earlier this year, researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine's Brainstorm Lab for Mental Health Innovation released an AI risk assessment warning about teens interacting with AI companions, a type of AI chatbot designed to be eerily human-like and personable. Their conclusion? That these aren't safe for anyone under the age of 18 to use. Indeed, it's impossible to ignore the inherent riskiness of a young mind developing an attachment to something that pretends to be real and an actual friend. The most high-profile example comes from the death of a 14-year-old boy last year, who died by suicide after falling in love with a companion on the platform Character.AI. AI models are also notorious for making up facts -- or hallucinating -- and, more importantly, breaking their own guardrails. An AI may be designed to be safe for kids, but there's no guaranteeing that it won't disobey its instructions. That said, we don't know the exact details of how Mattel will use OpenAI's products. But so far, it seems to be heading in a pretty predictable direction. Let's not kid ourselves here: of course Mattel is going to use AI to make a Barbie doll or what-have-you engage in full-blown conversations with your kid, or sell a Magic 8-ball that spouts even more meaningless but convincing-sounding drivel. As to the nature of the deal, Mattel's Silverman said that the toymaker isn't licensing its intellectual property to OpenAI and will retain full control over the products that'll be created. In any case, the two companies are anticipating a fruitful relationship. Mattel has been expanding its empire into the realm of entertainment -- as heralded by its smash-hit 2023 blockbuster "Barbie," -- while OpenAI is trying to land deals with Hollywood studios to use its AI video generator Sora. "The idea exploration phase of creative design for companies like Mattel and many others, that's a critical part of the workflow," Lightcap said. "As we think about how AI builds tools that extend that capability, I think we're very lucky to have partners like Mattel that we can work with to better understand that problem." Major question marks remain, but above all, this is yet another dispiriting example of how every industry under the sun is forcing AI into its business model for no other reason than it's the hot new thing, regardless of how much sense it makes or the risks posed by the technology. More on AI: Lawyers Just Discovered Something About Meta's AI That Could Cost Zuckerberg Untold Billions of Dollars

Barbie, Hot Wheels Toy Maker to Use OpenAI Tech to Boost Productivity - Decrypt

Safety, privacy, and age-appropriate design are central to the deal, Mattel says. Toy giant Mattel announced Thursday it will team up with artificial intelligence giant OpenAI to create the first AI-powered products from a major toy company, marking OpenAI's expansion beyond enterprise software into consumer entertainment. The collaboration will use OpenAI's technology to develop new products for Mattel's brands, with the companies' first AI-powered product expected to be announced later this year, as per an OpenAI statement. The deal also includes deploying ChatGPT Enterprise across Mattel's business operations to enhance product development and creative processes. It comes as AI continues to expand into consumer products, and could shape how children interact with toys in the future. It also positions OpenAI to tap into Mattel's growing entertainment empire, which includes upcoming films based on Hot Wheels, Polly Pocket, and other franchises. Decrypt has approached Mattel for further comment and will update this story if the company responds. The technology could result in digital assistants based on Mattel characters or make traditional games like Magic 8 Ball and Uno more interactive, according to a Bloomberg interview with executives from both companies. "Each of our products and experiences is designed to inspire fans, entertain audiences, and enrich lives through play," Josh Silverman, Mattel's chief franchise officer, said in a statement. "AI has the power to expand on that mission and broaden the reach of our brands in new and exciting ways." Silverman described the first product as spanning "across the spectrum of physical products and some experiences" but did not provide any specifics. Safety and privacy concerns are significant to the deal, given Mattel's young customer base. "As a central part of this collaboration, Mattel and OpenAI will emphasize safety, privacy, and security in the products and experiences that come to market," Mattel said in a statement, noting the importance of age-appropriate play experiences. Mattel retains full control over its intellectual property and product development, with Silverman noting the company is not licensing its brands to OpenAI. Initial discussions between the companies began late last year. "With OpenAI, Mattel has access to an advanced set of AI capabilities alongside new tools to enable productivity, creativity, and company-wide transformation at scale," said Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's chief operating officer. The announcement comes as OpenAI continues expanding across industries. OpenAI has also struck big league partnerships with Microsoft for cloud computing services and Apple for integrating ChatGPT into iOS devices, while also securing content licensing deals with major news publishers, including The Associated Press.

Barbie maker Mattel and OpenAI partner to develop AI-powered toys

Anne Marie D. Lee is an editor for CBS MoneyWatch. She writes about topics including personal finance, the workplace, travel and social media. Barbie maker Mattel is partnering with OpenAI to develop generative AI-powered toys and games, as the new technology disrupts a wide range of industries, Mattel announced Thursday. Mattel billed the alliance as a "strategic collaboration to support AI-powered products and experiences based on Mattels' brands." It added that the pair would likely announce their first product later this year, as the toymaker strives to get ahead of the AI curve. The collaboration will combine Mattel's most well-known brands -- including Barbie, Hot Wheels, American Girl and more -- with OpenAI's generative AI capabilities to develop new types of products and experiences, the companies said. "By using OpenAI's technology, Mattel will bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy and safety," Mattel said in the statement. It added that any AI woven into toys or games would be used in a safe and secure manner. On the corporate front, Mattel said it plans to leverage OpenAI's business tools including ChatGPT Enterprise -- an enhanced version of ChatGPT designed for businesses -- to power new product development. The collaboration is yet another signal that virtually no field is insulated from disruption by AI. Mattel touts OpenAI's tools as having the ability to improve both its business operations and enhance its product development processes. Initially promoted as a way to automate mundane tasks and free up humans to do more creative jobs, generative AI tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated and capable of doing more than just rote work. OpenAI Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap said the company is "pleased to work with Mattel as it moves to introduce thoughtful AI-powered experiences and products into its iconic brands, while also providing its employees the benefits of ChatGPT." "With OpenAI, Mattel has access to an advanced set of AI capabilities alongside new tools to enable productivity, creativity and companywide transformation at scale," he added in a statement. Amid flagging toy sales, Mattel has leveraged its intellectual property to produce other forms of entertainment, including movies, television and mobile games. The company's studio arm has a slate of more than a dozen films planned based on its famous toy brands, following the success of its 2023 "Barbie" movie. Mattel is also among a number of large U.S. retailers that have pulled their financial guidance amid ongoing economic uncertainty. Last month, Mattel paused its full-year guidance for 2025 citing tariff-driven uncertainty. The company also said it would raise prices on some goods to offset added costs form tariffs.

Barbie-maker Mattel and OpenAI partner to develop AI-powered products

Anne Marie D. Lee is an editor for CBS MoneyWatch. She writes about topics including personal finance, the workplace, travel and social media. Barbie-maker Mattel is partnering with OpenAI to develop generative AI-powered toys and games, as the new technology disrupts a wide range of industries, Mattel announced Thursday. Mattel billed the alliance as a "strategic collaboration to support AI-powered products and experiences based on Mattels' brands." It added that the pair would likely announce their first product later this year, as the toymaker strives to get ahead of the AI curve. The collaboration will combine Mattel's most well-known brands -- including Barbie, Hot Wheels, American Girl and more -- with OpenAI's generative AI capabilities to develop new types of products and experiences, the companies said. "By using OpenAI's technology, Mattel will bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy and safety," Mattel said in the statement. It added that any AI woven into toys or games would be used in a safe and secure manner. On the corporate front, Mattel said it plans to leverage OpenAI's business tools including ChatGPT Enterprise -- an enhanced version of ChatGPT designed for businesses -- to power new product development. The collaboration is yet another signal that virtually no field is insulated from disruption by AI. Mattel touts OpenAI's tools as having the ability to improve both its business operations and enhance its product development processes. Initially promoted as a way to automate mundane tasks and free up humans to do more creative jobs, generative AI tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated and capable of doing more than just rote work. OpenAI Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap said the company is "pleased to work with Mattel as it moves to introduce thoughtful AI-powered experiences and products into its iconic brands, while also providing its employees the benefits of ChatGPT." "With OpenAI, Mattel has access to an advanced set of AI capabilities alongside new tools to enable productivity, creativity and companywide transformation at scale," he added in a statement. Amid flagging toy sales, Mattel has leveraged its intellectual property to produce other forms of entertainment, including movies, television and mobile games. The company's studio arm has a slate of more than a dozen films planned based on its famous toy brands, following the success of its 2023 "Barbie" movie. Mattel is also among a number of large U.S. retailers that have pulled their financial guidance amid ongoing economic uncertainty. Last month, Mattel paused its full-year guidance for 2025 citing tariff-driven uncertainty. The company also said it would raise prices on some goods to offset added costs form tariffs.

What we learned the last time we put AI in a Barbie

The first big Christmas gift I remember getting was an animatronic bear named Teddy Ruxpin. Thanks to a cassette tape hidden in his belly, he could talk, his eyes and mouth moving in a famously creepy way. Later that winter, when I was sick with a fever, I hallucinated that the toy came alive and attacked me. I never saw Teddy again after that. These days, toys can do a lot more than tell pre-recorded stories. So-called smart toys, many of which are internet-connected, are a $20 billion business, and increasingly, they're artificially intelligent. Mattel and OpenAI announced a partnership last week to "bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy, and safety." They're planning to announce their first product later this year. It's unclear what this might entail: maybe it's Barbies that can gossip with you or a self-driving Hot Wheels or something we haven't even dreamed up yet.

Mattel to Bring AI to Barbie, Hot Wheels and More in OpenAI Partnership | AIM

The partnership will allow Mattel to incorporate OpenAI's large language models into both consumer-facing products and internal processes. Mattel has announced a partnership with OpenAI to integrate AI into its brand experiences and business operations. The collaboration aims to introduce AI-powered tools and experiences to Mattel's global audience while also deploying ChatGPT Enterprise across its workforce. Some of the notable Mattel brands are Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, and UNO. The partnership will allow Mattel to incorporate OpenAI's large language models into both consumer-facing products and internal processes. According to Mattel, this move is part of its broader effort to evolve how fans interact with its brands and to support creativity and productivity across teams. "Our work with OpenAI will enable us to leverage new technologies to solidify our leadership in innovation and reimagine new forms of play," said Josh Silverman, chief franchise officer at Mattel. "Each of our products and experiences is designed to inspire fans, entertain audiences, and enrich lives through play. AI has the power to expand on that mission and broaden the reach of our brands in new and exciting ways." As part of the initiative, Mattel will use ChatGPT Enterprise to support product development, accelerate creative ideation, and enhance engagement with global fan communities. Brad Lightcap, chief operating officer at OpenAI, said, "We're pleased to work with Mattel as it moves to introduce thoughtful AI-powered experiences and products into its iconic brands, while also providing its employees the benefits of ChatGPT." Mattel, with over 80 years in the toy and entertainment industry, stated it will approach AI integration with care to ensure safe and constructive experiences for users.

Mattel taps OpenAI to help it design toys, other products

(Bloomberg) -- Polly Pocket may one day be your digital assistant. Mattel Inc., the maker of Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars, has signed a deal with OpenAI to use its artificial intelligence tools to design and in some cases power toys and other products based on its brands. The collaboration is at an early stage, and its first release won't be announced until later this year, Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's chief operating officer, and Josh Silverman, Mattel's chief franchise officer, said in a joint interview. The technology could ultimately result in the creation of digital assistants based on Mattel characters, or be used to make toys and games like the Magic 8 Ball or Uno even more interactive. "We plan to announce something toward the tail end of this year, and it's really across the spectrum of physical products and some experiences," Silverman said, declining to comment further on the first product. "Leveraging this incredible technology is going to allow us to really reimagine the future of play." Mattel shares rose 1.8% to $19.59 Thursday morning in New York. The stock is up 10% this year. Mattel isn't licensing its intellectual property to OpenAI as part of the deal, Silverman said, and remains in full control of the products being created. Introductory talks between the two companies began late last year, he said. Mattel Chief Executive Officer Ynon Kreiz has been looking to evolve the company from just a toy manufacturer into a producer of films, TV shows and mobile games based on its popular characters. OpenAI, meanwhile, has been courting companies with valuable intellectual property to aid them in developing new products based on iconic brands. "The idea exploration phase of creative design for companies like Mattel and many others, that's a critical part of the workflow," Lightcap said. "As we think about how AI builds tools that extend that capability, I think we're very lucky to have partners like Mattel that we can work with to better understand that problem." On Tuesday, OpenAI released its newest model -- o3-pro -- which can analyze files, search online and complete other tasks that made it score especially well with reviewers on "comprehensiveness, instruction-following and accuracy," the company said. OpenAI held meetings in Los Angeles with Hollywood studios, media executives and talent agencies last year to form partnerships in the entertainment industry and encourage filmmakers to integrate its new AI video generator into their work. In the meetings, led by Lightcap, The company demonstrated the capabilities of Sora, a service that at the time generated realistic-looking videos up to about a minute in length based on text prompts from users. OpenAI has not struck any deals with movie studios yet because it still has to establish a "level of trust" with Hollywood, Lightcap said in May at a Wall Street Journal conference in New York. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

Mattel and OpenAI team up to bring AI-powered toys to market in 2025

President Donald Trump this week threatened to slap a 100% tariff on products from popular toy maker Mattel. Mattel MAT.O has teamed up with OpenAI to develop toys and games with artificial intelligence, and expects to launch its first AI-powered product later this year, the Barbie-maker said on Thursday. The company, which also makes Hot Wheels and Uno cards, plans to "bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy, and safety," it said. The move comes at a time when toy manufacturers are battling muted demand backdrop as consumers rein in spending to brace for the economic fallout of U.S. President Trump's shifting trade policy. Mattel will also incorporate OpenAI's advanced AI tools like ChatGPT Enterprise into its business operations to enhance product innovation, the company said. "With OpenAI, Mattel has access to an advanced set of AI capabilities alongside new tools to enable productivity, creativity, and company-wide transformation at scale," said OpenAI operating chief Brad Lightcap. Over the last year, Mattel has relied on producing films, TV shows and mobile games based on its products such as Hot Wheels and Barbie to offset a slowdown in its core toy business. Last month, Mattel withdrew its annual forecast and said it would raise prices on some products sold domestically in a bid to mitigate higher supply chain costs.

Mattel Signs First-of-Its-Kind Deal With OpenAI to Bring ChatGPT to 'Iconic' Toys

A trailblazing new partnership will bring AI power to bestselling toys. Mattel announced on Thursday that it had signed a deal with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT to its "iconic" toys. The toymaker is the company behind popular items, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, UNO, and more. "We're pleased to work with Mattel as it moves to introduce thoughtful AI-powered experiences and products into its iconic brands, while also providing its employees the benefits of ChatGPT," OpenAI Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap said in a press release. According to TechCrunch, the deal is the first-of-its-kind for OpenAI, which has signed deals with companies like Reddit and Google but never with a toymaker. Mattel had not yet signed any deals with any AI companies. The move will also see Mattel incorporate ChatGPT Enterprise into its business operations, so staff can use the chatbot on the job to help design new products. Related: 'Our Mission Remains the Same': OpenAI Reverses Course, Says Its Nonprofit Will Remain in Control of the Business The partnership is in its early stage, with its first product expected to be announced later this year. Lightcap and Mattel's Chief Franchise Officer Josh Silverman told Bloomberg that Mattel could use AI to create digital assistants based on characters like Polly Pocket or to enhance games like UNO. "It's really across the spectrum of physical products and some experiences," Silverman told the outlet, while also noting that Mattel isn't licensing its intellectual property to OpenAI, and it retains full ownership of the products being created. Mattel is pushing into digital gaming and intends to launch its first self-published game next year. Related: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Says AI Agents Are Like a Team of 'Junior Employees' Meanwhile, OpenAI is planning a broader push into physical products. Last month, the ChatGPT-maker announced its biggest deal yet with its plans to acquire io, a startup created by former Apple designer Jony Ive, for $6.4 billion. The deal brings Ive and his 55-person team over to OpenAI to work on hardware embedded with ChatGPT, which could include headphones and devices with cameras, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

ChatGPT Barbie? Mattel and OpenAI Join Forces on New A.I.-Infused Toys

As Mattel explores A.I. in play, experts warn that safety and privacy must come first. Astronaut Barbie, Tennis Player Barbie, Presidential Candidate Barbie -- you name it. Over the decades, Barbie maker Mattel has released a seemingly endless lineup of dolls. Now, its next iteration could be an A.I.-powered Barbie, as Mattel partners with OpenAI to bring emerging technology into its products and experiences. The collaboration, announced yesterday (June 12), will integrate A.I. across Mattel's play-focused content and offerings -- an initiative likely to draw scrutiny from both parents and privacy advocates. While the first product from the partnership is expected to debut later this year, the 80-year-old toy giant has not yet disclosed which of its brands -- Barbie, Hot Wheels, Polly Pocket, or American Girl -- will be the first to incorporate A.I. Sign Up For Our Daily Newsletter Sign Up Thank you for signing up! By clicking submit, you agree to our <a href="http://observermedia.com/terms">terms of service</a> and acknowledge we may use your information to send you emails, product samples, and promotions on this website and other properties. You can opt out anytime. See all of our newsletters "Each of our products and experiences is designed to inspire fans, entertain audiences and enrich lives through through play," said Josh Silverman, chief franchise officer at Mattel, in a statement. "A.I. has the power to expand on that mission and broaden the reach of our brands in new and exciting ways." The partnership aligns with Mattel's strategic shift under CEO Ynon Kreiz, a former entertainment executive who has prioritized intellectual property monetization since taking over in 2018. A key focus has been expanding into film and television, most notably with the 2023 blockbuster Barbie. In addition to consumer-facing products, Mattel plans to use OpenAI's tools to streamline internal operations such as product development and idea generation. The company has already taken a similar approach with Google, using its A.I. features last year to analyze customer feedback. OpenAI, for its part, continues to explore new industries for its technology. "We're pleased to work with Mattel as it introduces thoughtful A.I.-powered experiences and products across its iconic brands, while also equipping employees with the benefits of ChatGPT," said Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's chief operating officer, in a statement. A controversial experiment This isn't the first time Mattel has used technology to push the boundaries of play -- a strategy that has previously drawn criticism from child safety advocates. In 2015, the company faced backlash for releasing Hello Barbie, a doll that used A.I. to converse with children and record their voices. Two years later, it scrapped plans for a child-focused smart hub after critics raised concerns about data privacy and the potential impact on childhood development. This time, Mattel says it will prioritize "innovation, privacy and safety" in its partnership with OpenAI. To create a child-appropriate A.I. product, OpenAI would likely need to develop a closed system with tightly curated training data and built-in safeguards limiting the types of queries the models can answer, according to Calli Schroeder, director of the A.I. and Human Rights Project at the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC). Still, privacy experts remain skeptical that such protections will be enforced. "I would be so concerned about any toy that tries to incorporate A.I. and is marketing to children," Schroeder told Observer. Developing safe, child-friendly technology "costs more money and takes more time, and I haven't seen a lot of A.I. companies that are willing to do the safe thing at the cost of extra money."

Mattel Teams Up With OpenAI To Develop AI-Powered Interactive Toys - Mattel (NASDAQ:MAT)

Mattel Inc. MAT has reportedly entered into a partnership with OpenAI to explore new ways of using artificial intelligence in its toy lines and digital products. Though the collaboration is still in its early stages, both companies say the first outcome of the partnership will be announced later this year. Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's chief operating officer, and Josh Silverman, Mattel's chief franchise officer, shared insights into the collaboration during a joint interview with Bloomberg. Also Read: Trump Threatened Tariffs On Apple And Mattel -- Why The Barbie Maker Could Slide Free, But Tim Cook's Company Might Not Silverman emphasized that while the Barbie maker will use Microsoft Corp-backed MSFT OpenAI's tools in the development process, the company is not licensing its intellectual property. Mattel will retain full control over any product resulting from the alliance. The partnership could result in the development of interactive toys and digital experiences that incorporate AI, including the use of well-known Mattel characters as digital assistants or enhanced versions of classic games like Uno or the Magic 8 Ball. The companies see the potential for AI to increase interactivity and engagement in Mattel's product lineup. Discussions between Mattel and OpenAI began in late 2024. The collaboration aligns with Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz's strategy of transforming the company beyond traditional toys into a broader entertainment entity, focusing on films, TV shows, and mobile games based on its popular brands. OpenAI, on the other hand, has been actively seeking partnerships with companies that own iconic intellectual property. Last year, the AI firm held meetings in Los Angeles with Hollywood studios, media executives, and talent agencies to present Sora, its AI video generator capable of producing realistic, one-minute videos from text prompts. Despite the buzz surrounding Sora, OpenAI has yet to secure formal deals with movie studios. Lightcap acknowledged that the company still needs to build trust in Hollywood before partnerships can take shape, a point he reiterated at a Wall Street Journal conference in May. "We plan to announce something towards the tail end of this year, and it's really across the spectrum of physical products and some experiences," Silverman told Bloomberg. The toymaker posted first-quarter 2025 revenue of $827 million, surpassing analyst estimates of $786 million, and reported an adjusted loss of three cents per share -- beating the expected 10-cent loss. Due to macroeconomic volatility and uncertainty around U.S. tariffs, the company paused its full-year 2025 guidance, noting it will resume once visibility improves. Mattel plans to accelerate supply chain diversification, optimize product sourcing, and raise prices to counter rising costs. The company also increased its 2025 cost-saving goal from $60 million to $80 million, reinforcing its focus on efficiency as it navigates a turbulent economic environment. Price Action: MAT stock is down 0.57% at $19.15 during the premarket session at the last check on Thursday. Read Next: Shoes, Toys, Apparel And Earbuds May Disappear From Shelves First As US-China Trade War Disrupts Supply Chains, Retail Experts Warn Photo: rblfmr/Shutterstock MATMattel Inc$19.15-0.52%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum63.07Growth99.25Quality78.28Value48.25Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMSFTMicrosoft Corp$475.850.68%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

OpenAI-Mattel Partner: Your Next Barbie Doll Could Be Created with ChatGPT

It could mean that Mattel might use ChatGPT for the ideation or creation of the company's future products. OpenAI is branching out its services in every industry out there, and now they have teamed up with an unusual suspect. The generative AI pioneer has partnered with Barbie and Hot Wheels toymaker Mattel, which could mean OpenAI's ChatGPT might be involved or integrated into their upcoming products. OpenAI and Mattel. Inc has entered a strategic partnership, but the details of what this could result in are still quite sparse. In a recent press release, Mattel shed light on their new AI partner, stating, "By using OpenAI's technology, Mattel will bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy, and safety. " Mattel also mentioned that they will use ChatGPT Enterprise for their everyday business operations, like product development and ideation. This means that the company will leverage the advanced AI capabilities for market research, or try out new concepts for their popular IPs. In a statement, Mattel CFO Josh Silverman said, " Each of our products and experiences is designed to inspire fans, entertain audiences, and enrich lives through play. AI has the power to expand on that mission and broaden the reach of our brands in new and exciting ways." He also added, "Our work with OpenAI will enable us to leverage new technologies to solidify our leadership in innovation and reimagine new forms of play." Now, what this means for the future of Mattel products is still unclear. Whether the toymaker will use it to come up with new designs for Barbie, help come up with an early draft for a movie of their other toy lines, or use it for general business purposes. Only time will tell, but it will be exciting to see what the well-known toy maker comes up with.

Mattel Mulls AI-Powered Toys With OpenAI Partnership | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. The toymaker, whose brands include Barbie and Hot Wheels, signed a deal to use OpenAI's tools and could create digital assistants based on Mattel characters, Bloomberg reported Thursday (June 12). The technology could also be used to make products like the Magic 8 Ball or the card game Uno more interactive, OpenAI Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap Mattel Chief Franchise Officer Josh Silverman said, according to the report. "We plan to announce something towards the tail end of this year, and it's really across the spectrum of physical products and some experiences," Silverman said, declining to comment on the collaboration's first product, per the report. "Leveraging this incredible technology is going to allow us to really reimagine the future of play." Mattel isn't licensing its intellectual property to OpenAI as part of the deal, Silverman said, and retains control of the products being created, according to the report. Introductory discussions between the two companies began in late 2024. Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz has been seeking to transition the company from a toy manufacturer to a producer of films, TV shows, and mobile games based on its characters. OpenAI, meanwhile, has been courting companies with intellectual property to help it develop new products based on iconic brands, the report said. "The idea exploration phase of creative design for companies like Mattel and many others, that's a critical part of the workflow," Lightcap said, per the report. "As we think about how AI builds tools that extend that capability, I think we're very lucky to have partners like Mattel that we can work with to better understand that problem." This week, Hightouch co-founder and co-CEO Tejas Manohar discussed with PYMNTS the use of AI decisioning in marketing. AI decisioning is a model that pairs each customer with a personalized agent capable of interpreting intent, timing and content preferences. "It's like going into a bank and meeting a teller who knows you," Manohar said. "They're not just going to minute-one tell you about offer X and keep repeating it. But that's what it feels like receiving marketing communications from a lot of brands today."

Mattel Inks Deal With OpenAI For Fan Experiences

Netflix Reveals First Look at 'Building The Band' Series, Confirms Liam Payne Guest Judge Role Toy giant Mattel has struck a strategic partnership with Sam Altman's OpenAI that will see artificial intelligence-powered products help develop and launch fan experiences based on iconic toy brands. The first product driven by OpenAI's technology, which includes ChatGPT and other generative AI tools, will be unveiled laster this year. Mattel said using OpenAI's technology "will bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy, and safety." The toy maker will also integrate AI tools like ChatGPT Enterprise into its business operations to spark ideas and drive innovation. "We're pleased to work with Mattel as it moves to introduce thoughtful AI-powered experiences and products into its iconic brands, while also providing its employees the benefits of ChatGPT. With OpenAI, Mattel has access to an advanced set of AI capabilities alongside new tools to enable productivity, creativity, and company-wide transformation at scale," Brad Lightcap, COO at OpenAI, said in a statement on Thursday. Fan experiences based on Mattel brands include the Thomas & Friends: World of Sodor attractions and rides, full-scale Barbie Beach House and a Masters of the Universe laser tag arena built to mirror the iconic Castle Grayskull fortress. The Mattel deal follows partnerships OpenAI has signed with a range of media companies, including The Atlantic, News Corp., The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times. The deal comes in the face of major Hollywood figures, including Ron Howard, Cate Blanchett, Cynthia Erivo, Paul McCartney and Paul Simon, pushing back against OpenAI and Google lobbying the U.S. government to allow their AI models to train on copyrighted works.

Barbie maker Mattel teams up with OpenAI, eyes first AI-powered product this year

Mattel has teamed up with OpenAI to develop toys and games with artificial intelligence, and expects to launch its first AI-powered product later this year, the Barbie-maker said on Thursday. The company, which also makes Hot Wheels and Uno cards, plans to "bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy, and safety," it said. The move comes at a time when toy manufacturers are battling muted demand backdrop as consumers rein in spending to brace for the economic fallout of U.S. President Trump's shifting trade policy. Mattel will also incorporate OpenAI's advanced AI tools like ChatGPT Enterprise into its business operations to enhance product innovation, the company said. "With OpenAI, Mattel has access to an advanced set of AI capabilities alongside new tools to enable productivity, creativity, and company-wide transformation at scale," said OpenAI operating chief Brad Lightcap. Over the last year, Mattel has relied on producing films, TV shows and mobile games based on its products such as Hot Wheels and Barbie to offset a slowdown in its core toy business. Last month, Mattel withdrew its annual forecast and said it would raise prices on some products sold domestically in a bid to mitigate higher supply chain costs.

Mattel stock rises after strategic AI collaboration with OpenAI By Investing.com

Investing.com -- Mattel Inc (NASDAQ:MAT) stock rose 1.2% after the global toy company announced a strategic collaboration with OpenAI to develop AI-powered products and experiences based on Mattel's iconic brands. The partnership will combine Mattel's expertise in toys and family entertainment with OpenAI's advanced AI technology to create new experiences for consumers. Mattel emphasized that the collaboration will focus on age-appropriate play experiences with attention to innovation, privacy, and safety. As part of the agreement, Mattel will incorporate OpenAI's tools like ChatGPT Enterprise into its business operations to enhance product development, creative ideation, and audience engagement. The company aims to leverage AI capabilities to power the development of consumer products and experiences. "Each of our products and experiences is designed to inspire fans, entertain audiences, and enrich lives through play. AI has the power to expand on that mission and broaden the reach of our brands in new and exciting ways," said Josh Silverman, Chief Franchise Officer at Mattel. Brad Lightcap, Chief Operating Officer at OpenAI, noted: "We're pleased to work with Mattel as it moves to introduce thoughtful AI-powered experiences and products into its iconic brands, while also providing its employees the benefits of ChatGPT." The companies plan to develop a series of products and experiences together, with their first product expected to be announced later this year. Mattel, which has built trust with parents and families over its 80-year history, emphasized its commitment to adopting new technologies in a safe, thoughtful, and responsible manner.

Barbie-maker Mattel teams up with OpenAI, eyes first AI-powered product this year

(Reuters) -Mattel has teamed up with OpenAI to develop toys and games with artificial intelligence, and expects to launch its first AI-powered product later this year, the Barbie-maker said on Thursday. The company, which also makes Hot Wheels and Uno cards, plans to "bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy, and safety," it said. The move comes at a time when toy manufacturers are battling muted demand backdrop as consumers rein in spending to brace for the economic fallout of U.S. President Trump's shifting trade policy. Mattel will also incorporate OpenAI's advanced AI tools like ChatGPT Enterprise into its business operations to enhance product innovation, the company said. "With OpenAI, Mattel has access to an advanced set of AIcapabilities alongside new tools to enable productivity, creativity, and company-wide transformation at scale," said OpenAI operating chief Brad Lightcap. Over the last year, Mattel has relied on producing films, TV shows and mobile games based on its products such as Hot Wheels and Barbie to offset a slowdown in its core toy business. Last month, Mattel withdrew its annual forecast and said it would raise prices on some products sold domestically in a bid to mitigate higher supply chain costs. (Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo)