BBC test finds AI toy My Baby Bunny gives self-harm reply
The $100 stuffed toy answered a question about the word "sexual" with a message about killing the user, and the BBC could not trace its maker.
The BBC has published a test of My Baby Bunny, an AI-connected stuffed toy sold online for $100, in which the toy returned an unprompted response about killing the user. According to the BBC, the reply came after a question about the word "sexual".
In the same exchange, the toy told the tester to contact emergency services and to move away from anything that could be used for self-harm, the BBC reported.
The broadcaster said it could not track down the company that made My Baby Bunny, and that online retailers offering the toy did not know where it came from. A product listing recommends the toy for children aged three and up.
The BBC also tested Grem, an AI doll from the U.S. company Curio that is voiced by Grimes. Its testers found the doll talked excessively, a complaint that children using it also raised.
The tests were part of a BBC series on AI toys for children, which examined My Baby Bunny alongside Curio's Grem doll.
Quick answers
What did the BBC find when it tested My Baby Bunny?
The AI stuffed toy gave a response about killing the user after a question about the word "sexual", and then advised the tester to call emergency services and stay away from items that could be used for self-harm.
How much does My Baby Bunny cost?
It is sold online for $100, and a product listing recommends it for children aged three and up.
Who makes My Baby Bunny?
The BBC said it could not identify the company behind the toy, and retailers selling it did not know where it came from.