Mattel Taps OpenAI to Help It Design Toys, Other Products
The first release from the collaboration is expected later this year.
Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg
Polly Pocket may one day be your digital assistant.
Mattel Inc., the maker of Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars, has signed a deal with OpenAI to use its artificial intelligence tools to design and in some cases power toys and other products based on its brands.
The collaboration is at an early stage, and its first release won’t be announced until later this year, Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, and Josh Silverman, Mattel’s chief franchise officer, said in a joint interview. The technology could ultimately result in the creation of digital assistants based on Mattel characters, or be used to make toys and games like the Magic 8 Ball or Uno even more interactive.
“We plan to announce something towards the tail end of this year, and it's really across the spectrum of physical products and some experiences,” Silverman said, declining to comment further on the first product. “Leveraging this incredible technology is going to allow us to really reimagine the future of play.”