[ad_1]
Canadian musician Claire Boucher, known as Grimes and the mother of three of Elon Musk’s children, is an investor in and adviser to the company, and she will provide the toy’s voice.
“Every [change] in technology unlocks new forms of entertainment,” said Sam Eaton, president and chief toy maker at Curio, who was previously an engineer at Roblox, the gaming platform. “It’s a different level of immersion for playtime.”
“It’s a new hardware medium,” said Misha Sallee, Curio’s chief executive.
Academics and investors said that it’s too soon to assess the likely impact of such toys, but the AI toy market is expected to explode in coming years. A recent report by Contrive Datum Insights, a market research firm, predicted that the AI toy market will be worth $35.11 billion by 2030, and several AI-enabled robots for children were on display at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center during its annual Toy Fair in September.
“Parents always want to buy their kids things that will help them learn and grow, which will make smart AI toys even more popular,” Contrive Datum Insights said in a LinkedIn post about its research.
Given OpenAI’s penchant for providing incorrect or disconcerting information, an AI-enabled toy’s utility as an educational device remains unproven. For now, however, Curio’s founders aren’t pitching it as an educational toy, but rather as an antidote to children’s reliance on screens for entertainment.
Eaton said he thinks a lot about the screen-addled world his own children are growing up in, where so much of kids’ entertainment is centered around passive consumption. That entertainment is only getting more addictive, he said. “Finally,” Eaton said, “technology is allowing us to move back into our own reality instead of descending into a digital reality.”
“Our big vision is increasing imagination levels,” Sallee said. “Replacing more-toxic forms of technology is a North Star of sorts for us.”
As the product evolves, Curio’s founders want to give parents even more control over Grok’s conversations. “If this is going to be a guest in the house, we want parents to have influence over what the toy believes,” Eaton said. “Maybe your family is vegetarian or religious and you want to influence [conversation around those topics]. Or maybe your kid has certain interests, like dinosaurs, and you want to put them in there.”
Unlike previous talking toys such as Teddy Ruxpin, Talk to Me Barbie or Furbies, which simply play prerecorded lines, Eaton said his plans for Curio’s toys is for them to “have a degree of some kind of pseudo consciousness.”
Eaton said Grok will come with an app for parents that will provide full transcripts of any conversation the child has with the toy. Parents also will be able to make certain words or topics off limits. The toy won’t collect or store any voice data, and storage of the transcripts will comply with the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the company says. Parents can request any transcripts be deleted at any time.
“I really think it’s important to let parents know that they do have full control over it and we’re not hiding anything,” Eaton said.
Sallee said that the toy was designed with Grimes’s children in mind and that they have a friendly relationship with it. “The toy was designed for X and the other kids,” she said, referring to the son of Grimes and Musk, X Æ A-Xii, “but X primarily because he’s of age where he can actually talk to the toy and it can talk back more effectively.”
But the toy has no relationship with Musk’s AI start-up, which also is called Grok. Curio holds the trademark on the name, and the two AI products are totally unaffiliated, Curio says. The name Grok was devised by Grimes and the Curio team, who said the word was a shortening of the word Grocket, which was coined because Grimes’ children are exposed to a lot of rockets through their father’s ownership of SpaceX.
Grok is available for preorder now for $99. Those who order by Dec. 17 will receive a golden ticket in the mail before Christmas. The product itself will ship early next year.
The current version requires a WiFi connection, though Eaton’s hope is that one day the technology will advance so that the toy itself can contain all the hardware and software needed to be interactive; incorporating such technology now would push its price to several thousands of dollars, making it inaccessible to most parents.
Curio also envisions Grok as an assistive technology for parenting. For instance, parents may be able to create a prompt for bedtime and Grok might go into bedtime mode, in which the toy redirects all conversations with the child toward bedtime, or Grok gets sleepy himself.
“We’ve heard some people’s concerns like, ‘Could this replace parents?’” Eaton said. “But it’s the opposite. Kids are already zoned out on YouTube or tablets. This toy, you’re talking to it and it’s talking back. You’re imagining and it’s challenging you.”
The Curio founders said they imagine a future where AI toys will be able to interact and play off each other, like a real life Toy Story.
Curio was incorporated earlier this year and now has four full-time employees and several contractors across marketing and manufacturing, in addition to Curio’s two founders.
The company has attracted seed-stage investment from Grimes as well as technologists including Daniel Gross and Nat Friedman, the former CEO of GitHub. Eaton and Sallee connected with Grimes through a mutual friend, after she expressed interest in the idea of a sentient toy on X.
They also hope to open the technology to more collaborators and partners. “The voice box is the technology, it’s separate from the skin,” Eaton said. “So people could create any kind of plush skin for it. The thinking is we’d open it up and let others build on it to make their own characters.”
“The way Nintendo brought a bit more creativity and art to video games and Pixar did to animation, that’s what we want to do with toys,” he added.
[ad_2]
Source link
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice while you
amend your website, how could i subscribe for a
blog website? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this
your broadcast offered bright clear concept
It’s amazing for me to have a web page, which is helpful in favor of my experience.
thanks admin
I am really grateful to the owner of this site who has shared this impressive paragraph at here.
I need to to thank you for this good read!! I certainly
enjoyed every little bit of it. I’ve got you bookmarked to check out new things you post…
Sweet blog! I found it while searching on Yahoo News. Do you have any suggestions on how to get
listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never
seem to get there! Thank you
Howdy! I know this is kinda off topic however , I’d figured I’d ask.
Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest writing a blog post or vice-versa?
My site goes over a lot of the same topics as yours and I
feel we could greatly benefit from each other. If you are interested feel free to shoot me an e-mail.
I look forward to hearing from you! Wonderful blog by the way!
My spouse and I stumbled over here coming from a
different website and thought I may as well check things out.
I like what I see so now i’m following you. Look forward to looking at
your web page yet again.
My brother suggested I might like this blog.
He was once totally right. This submit actually made my day.
You cann’t consider simply how so much time I had spent for this info!
Thank you!
You could certainly see your skills in the article you write.
The arena hopes for more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to
say how they believe. All the time follow your heart.
Everything composed made a bunch of sense. However, think about this, suppose you added
a little information? I ain’t saying your information isn’t good., but what
if you added a post title to possibly get people’s attention? I mean AI toy Grok talks to your child.
The voice belongs to Grimes. – Life Changer is kinda boring.
You could peek at Yahoo’s front page and see how they create article titles to grab viewers to click.
You might try adding a video or a related pic or two to get people
interested about what you’ve got to say. Just my opinion, it would bring your website a
little livelier.
For newest news you have to go to see world-wide-web and on internet I found this web page as
a finest web page for hottest updates.
Thank you, I have just been searching for info about this subject for
a while and yours is the greatest I’ve came upon till now.
But, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you certain in regards to the supply?
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this article and also the rest of the site is
very good.
This is a topic which is close to my heart… Cheers!
Exactly where are your contact details though?
Hi there, I found your web site by means of Google at the same time as
searching for a related matter, your web site came up, it appears great.
I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hi there, just changed into aware of your weblog through
Google, and located that it’s truly informative. I’m gonna be careful for brussels.
I will appreciate for those who proceed this in future.
Many people will probably be benefited out of your writing.
Cheers!
Very rapidly this website will be famous among all blogging and site-building users,
due to it’s nice posts
Hello! I’ve been following your website for a long time now and finally got
the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from New Caney Texas!
Just wanted to mention keep up the good work!
I like reading a post that can make people think. Also, thanks for allowing for me to comment!
I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs really nice,
keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back in the future.
All the best
My relatives every time say that I am wasting my time here at
net, except I know I am getting knowledge everyday by reading thes
pleasant content.
Yes! Finally someone writes about TEKTK77.
That is a really good tip especially to those
fresh to the blogosphere. Brief but very precise info… Appreciate your sharing this one.
A must read post!
Greetings from Colorado! I’m bored to tears at work so I decided
to check out your site on my iphone during lunch break.
I enjoy the knowledge you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I
get home. I’m amazed at how quick your blog loaded on my phone ..
I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, great blog!
Superb blog you have here but I was wanting to know if you knew of any discussion boards that cover the same topics discussed here?
I’d really like to be a part of group where I can get feed-back from other knowledgeable individuals that
share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
Appreciate it!
I am extremely impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your
weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself?
Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to see a great blog like this
one these days.
If you wish for to take a great deal from this article then you have to apply these methods to your won webpage.
It’s remarkable to visit this website and reading the views of all colleagues regarding this piece
of writing, while I am also eager of getting experience.
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote
the book in it or something. I think that you could do with some pics
to drive the message home a bit, but other than that,
this is magnificent blog. An excellent read. I will certainly be back.
Hey there would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with?
I’m looking to start my own blog in the near
future but I’m having a difficult time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something
completely unique. P.S Sorry for being off-topic but
I had to ask!
Someone necessarily lend a hand to make severely posts I might state.
This is the first time I frequented your website page and to this point?
I surprised with the analysis you made to make this
actual publish amazing. Great job!
I got this web site from my pal who shared with me regarding this web site and now this time I
am browsing this web page and reading very informative content here.
I have fun with, result in I discovered exactly what I used to be having a look for.
You have ended my four day long hunt! God
Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
I wanted to thank you for this fantastic read!!
I absolutely loved every bit of it. I have got you bookmarked to look at new stuff you post…
Useful info. Lucky me I found your website accidentally, and I’m stunned why this accident
did not came about in advance! I bookmarked it.
Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I truly enjoyed reading it, you might be a great
author. I will make sure to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back down the road.
I want to encourage you to definitely continue your great posts, have a nice afternoon!
Hello just wanted to give you a quick heads up.
The words in your content seem to be running off the screen in Opera.
I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to
do with web browser compatibility but I figured I’d post to let
you know. The design look great though! Hope you get
the issue fixed soon. Thanks
It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d definitely donate to this brilliant blog!
I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account.
I look forward to fresh updates and will share this blog with
my Facebook group. Talk soon!
Thanks designed for sharing such a nice opinion, post is pleasant, thats why i have read
it entirely
Howdy! Someone in my Facebook group shared this website with us so I came to give
it a look. I’m definitely loving the information. I’m bookmarking and will be tweeting this to
my followers! Fantastic blog and excellent style and design.
I have read so many content on the topic of the blogger lovers but
this post is actually a fastidious paragraph, keep it up.
It’s awesome how wonderfull this site is Get more info
Great site you have here.. It’s hard to find
quality writing like yours these days. I truly appreciate people like you!
Take care!!
It’s awesome how wonderfull this site is Get more info
Hi to every , as I am actually eager of reading this webpage’s post
to be updated regularly. It contains good stuff.
Do you mind if I quote a couple of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your weblog?
My website is in the exact same niche as yours and my users would truly
benefit from a lot of the information you present here.
Please let me know if this okay with you. Many thanks!
Does your site have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it but, I’d like to send
you an email. I’ve got some recommendations for your blog you might be
interested in hearing. Either way, great blog and I look forward to
seeing it grow over time.
Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before
but after browsing through a few of the articles I realized
it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely pleased I stumbled
upon it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly!
Wonderful beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your website, how could
i subscribe for a blog site? The account helped me a acceptable
deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this
your broadcast offered bright clear idea
Hurrah! After all I got a website from where I know how to really
take helpful data concerning my study and knowledge.
It’s impressive that you are getting thoughts from this article
as well as from our argument made at this time.
Hello superb website! Does running a blog like this require
a lot of work? I have virtually no knowledge of coding but I had been hoping to
start my own blog in the near future. Anyhow, if you have
any ideas or tips for new blog owners please share. I understand this is off subject
but I just needed to ask. Thanks!
Fantastic goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to
and you’re just too excellent. I actually like what you
have acquired here, certainly like what you are stating and the way in which you
say it. You make it enjoyable and you still care for to keep it smart.
I cant wait to read much more from you. This is actually a great website.
I always used to study paragraph in news papers but now as I am a user of web thus from now
I am using net for articles, thanks to web.
It’s awesome how wonderfull this site is Get more info
Spot on with this write-up, I actually think this
website needs much more attention. I’ll probably be back again to see more,
thanks for the information!
It’s awesome how magnificent this site is Get more info
It’s awesome how wonderfull this site is Get more info
It’s nice to see that people appreciate the simple sites and a good community, check this Get more info
Hello guys , keep up the good work Get more info