Scoop: Mattel's collaboration with OpenAI won't emerge this year
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Mauricio Palos/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Toymaker Mattel won't unveil its first product with OpenAI this year as originally hoped, Axios has confirmed.
Why it matters: The move comes amid greater scrutiny of AI interactions with teens as well as some high-profile issues with other toys that include generative AI.
Driving the news: Mattel, which has been silent about its plans since announcing the collaboration in June, confirmed to Axios that it won't hit its original target to announce a product during 2025.
- "We don't have anything planned for the holiday season," A Mattel representative told Axios.
- The company also reiterated that its first product, when it does arrive, is aimed at "older customers and families," noting that OpenAI's developer interface only supports those 13 and older.
- Mattel didn't offer a further update on its plans but said it sees AI as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, traditional play, and that any products will comply with safety and privacy regulations.
The big picture: Much has changed since June when Mattel and OpenAI announced their tie-up.
- There has been increased focus on the interactions between AI and vulnerable audiences, including youth, amid reports of chatbots helping fuel delusions and suicidal thoughts.
- Early AI-enabled toys have also had a variety of issues, from talking dirty and sharing their takes on Taiwanese sovereignty to being rendered nonfunctional when their companies go belly up.
- A number of regulators and consumer safety organizations have warned that chatbots are categorically unsafe, even for older teens.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say a representative from Mattel (not OpenAI) confirmed the delay.
