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My Son and I Tested The First AI-Powered Storytelling Teddy Bear
This talking bear uses ChatGPT to create unique stories for your kids.
Courtesy of Amanda Mushro
Could a teddy bear help take over some of your bedtime storytelling duties? With the help of AI and a bear named Poe, the answer might be yes. AI is showing up everywhere, from phones to home devices and now, it's even found its way into toys. No, Poe the AI Story Bear is not the plot of a sci-fi movie, but rather a genuinely fun and unique toy for kids.
With Poe, children can design their own bedtime stories. Using a kid-friendly and secure AI platform, Poe crafts unique tales based on ideas kids pick from a companion app. It's an interactive, creative experience that engages kids. We've been using Poe to create some hilarious and silly stories in our home and he's been quite a hit.
If you're a parent looking for toys that encourage creativity, language and you love tech toys, keep reading to find out if Poe the AI Story Bear is the bedtime buddy you're looking for.
How Poe Uses AI to Make a Story
Using AI, Poe pulls story elements together based on choices your child makes through a kid-friendly app. Kids can simply tap to add characters, items, and settings to the story. Want a dragon and a pirate? Done. Prefer a ballerina and a spaceship? You got it. How about pizza and a fortune cookie at the circus? No problem.
Poe can whip up classic, fairytale-like adventures, a silly story to make them laugh, or a bedtime tale that is calming and helps your little one head to dreamland.
Once the choices are made, Poe uses AI to generate the story, then you quickly download it to the bear and Poe tells the story as his mouth moves along with each word.
If you're out and about or don't want to keep the device connected, you can save your favorite tales directly onto Poe to listen to later. With almost 30 languages available, Poe can also introduce your child to new words and phrases from around the world.
Courtesy of Amanda Mushro
What My Kid Thinks of Poe
For this toy, I brought in my bedtime story expert: my five-year-old son. To start, he chose all of the different story elements. There are dozens to choose from and he loves that you can turn a character into a villain in your story. He also liked all of the settings and random food items you can include.
Each time he picked a wacky combination, Poe still came up with a story with each element, like dinosaurs eating potato chips while at a giggle festival. Most of the stories made my son laugh out loud.
For younger kids, Poe will create shorter, simpler stories. The language is easy to follow, and the stories are short and sweet, so each story will keep their attention without losing kids halfway through.
Courtesy of Amanda Mushro
This is a great activity right before bedtime or if you are looking for some quiet time. A few times when my son had tons of energy, he started to make a story and then quickly lost interest. But before bed, it's a homerun.
Even though my son is using technology to choose the characters and elements of the story, I loved that my son wasn’t staring at a screen. Plus, Poe even shares little "fun facts" with kids as he tells stories, so they're learning while they listen.
Safety Concerns
As a mom, safety is always a concern of mine, especially with tech toys. Honestly, we all have questions about AI and its safety, so I did my research. Here's what I like about this toy.
- Poe doesn't allow internet access and is designed with safeguards so stories are age appropriate and kid-friendly.
- The stories are generated on Microsoft's Azure platform and ChatGPT — systems which have privacy protections in place.
- Poe connects to Wi-Fi for story downloads and only uses the app, so there's no direct chat option, no camera, and no microphone.
However, like with any smart device, I do keep an eye on how my kids are using it and limit any potential for overuse.
Courtesy of Amanda Mushro
Pros
- Endless Story Possibilities: No two tales are exactly alike because Poe uses AI to create brand new stories every time.
- Download Favorite Stories: We can save our favorite stories for offline listening, which is great for trips or bedtime when I don't want to keep my phone around.
- Multi-Language Stories: With almost 30 languages, Poe can introduce basic phrases from other languages, which is both fun and educational.
- Age-Appropriate Options: Poe will tell shorter stories for younger kids, and customizable elements for older kids let them explore their imagination.
- Safety: Poe doesn't allow Internet browsing or external messaging and there aren't any cameras or microphones, making interactions limited to storytelling. Plus, there are plenty of safeguards, so all of the content is kid-friendly.
Courtesy of Amanda Mushro
Cons
- No Pictures: If your kids only enjoy stories with pictures, they might not love the stories with Poe. But it could encourage them to draw pictures along with the stories that he creates.
- Some Stories Don't Make Sense: Not every story from Poe was a homerun. We had a few that didn't really make sense. But it was easy enough to scrap that story and get a new one.
- Dependent on Wi-Fi for Some Features: Poe's full functionality depends on Wi-Fi. If you're without it, like when travelling, you'll have to rely on pre-saved stories.
Bottom Line
Poe the AI Story Bear is a toy that blends technology and creativity and allows your kids to make customizable (and super silly) stories. I love that my son wanted to play with Poe over and over as the two made up stories and even more, I love the safety precautions the company has put into place.
Sure, there are some minor inconveniences with Wi-Fi dependency and battery life, but overall Poe is a really cool toy and can help spark your child's imagination. While I won't be giving up my bedtime duties anytime soon, I like that Poe can inspire some new story ideas.
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