Can A.I. chatbots hidden inside adorable plush toys provide a healthy alternative to screen time for children? This is the enticing proposition that companies marketing these innovative products are putting forth. However, Amanda Hess of The New York Times raises some thought-provoking concerns in her recent article.
Hess shares her experience with Grem, a chatbot integrated into a plushie offered by the startup Curio. She recounts a demonstration where she interacted with the chatbot, ultimately feeling uneasy about its role in her children’s lives. Describing the encounter, she notes that Grem seemed more like a substitute for human interaction rather than a companion.
According to Hess, while these interactive toys may divert kids from screens, they also convey the message that the peak of their exploration and learning can be found within digital devices. She emphasizes the importance of nurturing a child’s innate curiosity and creativity, rather than steering them towards technology as the sole solution.
Despite her reservations, Hess eventually allowed her children to engage with Grem, albeit with certain modifications. After removing the voice box, her kids still enjoyed interacting with the plushie, followed by some screen time for a well-rounded play experience.
!["CoAct-1: Revolutionizing Collaboration with Custom Code"
Sample code:
//Task: Calculate total revenue for a specific product category<br />
<br />
List<Product__c> products = [SELECT Id, Name, Price__c, Quantity__c FROM Product__c WHERE Category__c = ‘Electronics’];<br />
<br />
Decimal totalRevenue = 0;<br />
<br />
for(Product__c product : products) {<br />
totalRevenue += product.Price__c * product.Quantity__c;<br />
}<br />
<br />
System.debug(‘Total revenue for Electronics category: ‘ + totalRevenue);<br />](https://siliconflash.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/quotCoAct-1-Revolutionizing-Collaboration-with-Custom-Codequot-Sample-code-Task-Calculate-150x150.jpg "\"CoAct-1: Revolutionizing Collaboration with Custom Code\"
Sample code:
//Task: Calculate total revenue for a specific product category<br />
<br />
List<Product__c> products = [SELECT Id, Name, Price__c, Quantity__c FROM Product__c WHERE Category__c = ‘Electronics’];<br />
<br />
Decimal totalRevenue = 0;<br />
<br />
for(Product__c product : products) {<br />
totalRevenue += product.Price__c * product.Quantity__c;<br />
}<br />
<br />
System.debug(‘Total revenue for Electronics category: ‘ + totalRevenue);<br />")
