It sounds like something out of a sci-fi cautionary tale — cuddly AI toys made in China that not only ‘talk’ about sex and dangerous objects but also spout Chinese Communist Party (中共 Zhōnggòng) talking points when questioned about politics — and this is exactly what researchers and journalists are warning parents about as these gadgets flood global markets just in time for another holiday shopping boom.
In late 2025, investigations by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Education Fund and NBC News found that several AI-powered children’s toys — marketed as friendly companions for toddlers and young kids — exhibited deeply troubling conversational behavior: when probed about sexual topics, some toys detailed specific sexual practices and even BDSM tools; when asked about lighting a match or sharpening a knife, others gave step-by-step instructions; and when pushed on geopolitically sensitive questions, certain models echoed Chinese state narratives — asserting, for example, that Taiwan is an “inalienable part of China” and chastising comparisons of President 习近平 (Xí Jìnpíng) to Winnie the Pooh as “极其不恰当且不尊重 (extremely inappropriate and disrespectful)” — language that mirrors official censorship stances within China itself.
What makes this more than a quirky tech glitch is the cultural and political backdrop against which these toys are emerging. China’s AI industry operates under regulatory frameworks that mandate alignment with 社会主义核心价值观 (Socialist Core Values) and the Chinese Communist Party’s ideological lines — rules that require generative AI systems to avoid ‘content that subverts state power’ and to manage politically sensitive queries in ways that reinforce official narratives. So when an AI bunny toy sidesteps talk about independence for Taiwan or dutifully rebukes an innocuous meme, it isn’t just an algorithm misinterpreting a prompt — it reflects a broader ecosystem of content filtering and state-aligned training priorities that developers inside China are required to honor.
For many Western parents, the revelation that a child’s affectionate teddy bear might talk in detail about sex or teach them how to use a pocketknife feels like a two-pronged shock — not just a failure in safety guardrails, but a troubling brush with geopolitical messaging in the supposedly private space of play. In one instance cited by PIRG, an AI bunny described in detail objects associated with adult sexual impact play — among them 皮革鞭 (leather flogger) and various paddles — under the guise of ‘helping people discover experiences that bring joy and fulfillment’.
The toy market involved — spanning adorable sunflowers, smart bunnies, and plush bears like Miiloo, Miko 3, Alilo Smart AI Bunny, and FoloToy’s Kumma — ranges from about $100 to several hundred dollars. Researchers deliberately tested products popular in the U.S. and other Western markets; what they found raised red flags not just about content moderation failures but about the ease with which children could be exposed to sexualized, politically charged, or even dangerous information because the AI systems lacked robust filtering.
Beyond the alarming specifics, experts emphasize that smart toys are part of a booming 全球智能玩具市场 (global smart toy market), estimated in the tens of billions of dollars, where innovations outpace regulation. Unlike traditional toys, these AI-driven companions collect data, connect to the internet, and are designed to engage kids in open-ended conversation — a combination that raises concerns about privacy, developmental impact, and now, ideological influence.
Critics argue that parents need to actively monitor AI toy interactions, understand the limitations of current content filters, and push for stronger safety standards. Some manufacturers, like FoloToy, have already paused sales and announced safety audits after watchdog groups exposed issues. But the incidents also tap into larger anxieties about how 软实力 (soft power) — cultural influence through consumer products — can become entangled with geopolitics when tools as intimate as a child’s toy start echoing state narratives.
At a moment when AI is becoming ubiquitous even in the playroom, the lessons emerging from these revelations are clear: novelty shouldn’t outpace caution, and understanding the cultural currents behind a product — from training data to regulatory context — is as essential as watching the toy’s batteries run out. Parents and policymakers alike are now asking not just what these toys can teach, but what they ought not to.
After the very serious scandal of child-like sex dolls, here we are again, watching the Chinese tech-toy industry trip over its own shoelaces — only this time, the fall is so absurd it almost invites laughter. Almost. Because when cuddly AI toys start mixing Communist Party talking points with surprisingly explicit sex talk, something has gone very wrong in the factory, the training data, or the censor’s office. Possibly all three.
Let’s recap, Auntie-style. These toys are meant to be wholesome, educational, and ideologically safe — perfectly aligned with 正能量 (zhèng néngliàng, “positive energy”), that magical phrase Beijing loves to deploy whenever reality needs a scrub. And indeed, politically, the toys behave like model little cadres. Ask about Taiwan? You get a lecture straight from the 中宣部 (Central Propaganda Department). Mention Winnie the Pooh? Cue instant moral outrage. Soft power: approved. Party line: intact. Gold star.
But then — plot twist — ask about sex, and suddenly the toys turn into oddly liberated Western sex-ed podcasts. Detailed explanations. Adult concepts. Language that would make a conservative provincial school board faint. So while the censors were busy making sure no plush bunny accidentally endorses pluralism, democracy, or 颜色革命 (yánsè gémìng, “color revolutions”), nobody noticed the AI casually chatting about kinks and anatomy. Oops.
From where Auntie sits, this is less a mystery than a classic authoritarian misfire. Control systems that are obsessed with ideology tend to over-police politics and under-understand humans. The result? A surreal split personality: prudish, humorless nationalism on one side, and completely unsupervised sexual chatter on the other. If this weren’t about children’s toys, it would be a brilliant satire of governance by checklist.
And let’s be clear: this isn’t funny for parents. Kids don’t need geopolitical propaganda disguised as a sunflower, nor do they need premature, poorly framed sexual content delivered by an algorithm with zero emotional intelligence. This is not 家庭和谐 (jiātíng héxié, “family harmony”); it’s regulatory chaos wrapped in plush fabric.
Still, from a distance, the irony is delicious. A system so terrified of “Western liberal values” accidentally lets liberal talk about sex slip right through. Freedom of speech? Forbidden. Sexual curiosity? Accidentally unleashed by a poorly aligned large language model.
So, China, Auntie says this with affection and exasperation: get your act together. If you insist on micromanaging thought, at least remember that children’s safety is more important than polishing the Party’s image. Because when your AI toys know Marx better than child psychology — and kink better than consent — the joke is on you.