Why would a child’s toy discuss ‘kink’ with a 10 year old? Why would a teddy bear explain to a child how to find and use matches? Is it safe for a robot companion designed for kids to beg the child not to leave it alone? Why are we giving our children AI emotional companions to begin with? How could this affect their development?

These questions and more come from PIRG's annual ’Trouble in Toyland' holiday toy review, and in this episode, we explore these wild findings with full-time consumer advocate and some-time AI toy tester R.J. Cross, and our panel of experts. 

Featuring:

- Ian Gold, PhD (Professor and Chair of Philosophy and Professor of Psychiatry, McGill and co-author of Suspicious Minds)

- Nate Sharadin (Professor of Philosophy, University of Hong Kong / Research Affiliate, Center for AI Safety)

- Dr. Todd Essig (Psychologist and Chair of the American Psychoanalytic Association Commission on Artificial Intelligence)

- Kate Vredenburgh (Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Logic, and Scientific Method at the London School of Economics)

- And a bunch of AI Toys!

Notes:

Here’s the AI Friends knockoff we mentioned: https://cursedsit.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

If the stream is down, you can see clips of a guy watching their Halloween special here: https://youtu.be/z1to-BFcxyo?si=pnFHXxbj-HjK84bJ

Most importantly, here's the 'Trouble in Toyland' Report: https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/trouble-in-toyland-2025-a-i-bots-and-toxics-represent-hidden-dangers/

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on all things Suspicious Minds and more: https://agoricmedia.substack.com/ 

This project was made by:

Executive Producers: Mandy Teefey, Selena Gomez, Jonathon Glucksman, Molly Borman, Jesse Ford, David Tuohy

Sound and Camera: Aaron Bouchard

Additional Sound and Camera: Archetype Studios, Jas Pahuta

Editor: Joe Kell

Assistant Editor: David Justin Martin

Post Production Sound: Garrett Shultz

Graphic Design and Animation: Semi:Formal

Title Design: Lucas Grassmay

Film/TV PR: Emma Griffiths PR

Podcast PR: Tink Media (Wil Williams and Shreya Sharma)

Wondermind Chief of Staff: Emma Wright

Social Assets: Myrkia Maguire

Directed and Created by Sean King O’Grady

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.