AIToys: A conceptual definition and future research agenda

This paper introduces the conceptual definition of AIToys, which expands on IoToys to incorporate AI capabilities. AIToys are envisioned as life-long play partners with life-wide implications in play across leisure, learning, and work life. They range from educational robots to anthropomorphized or zoomorphized social and conversational companions, exemplifying the growing robotification of toy play across generations. We explore the concept of AIToys through fictional stories, theoretical perspectives, and toy industry offerings, representing the recent evolution of IoToys, namely AIToys. These toys can learn from our behavior and adapt to how we interact, and each has a persuasion strategy to provoke emotional responses. Our research aims to define the characteristics of AIToys, identify current challenges demanding more research, and propose development directions for sustainable and ethically responsible AIToy design.