Will the next Barbie be invented by artificial intelligence? This is not a horror scenario, but reality

Mattel, the maker of Barbie and other popular toy lines, has teamed up with OpenAI to use AI to help develop new product designs based on Mattel’s brands. The first AI-powered project will be announced later this year.

Keeping up with the times, toy giant Mattel has decided to use artificial intelligence to create a new generation of toys . It is not yet known what the AI-enhanced products it will offer will look like. More details will probably appear with the announcement of the first such project. Mattel owns brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels and Polly Pocket.

Barbie/photo Unsplash Julee Juu

In addition to bringing a new dimension to Mattel’s toy experience , OpenAI’s ChatGPT will also be used to streamline Mattel’s business operations. It is expected to streamline product development, have a real impact on creativity, drive innovation, and deepen customer engagement.

- We are excited to partner with Mattel as they look to introduce thoughtful AI-powered products to their iconic toys while providing their employees with the benefits of ChatGPT. The company will have access to an advanced set of AI capabilities along with new tools that enable greater productivity, creativity, and enterprise-wide transformation at scale - says Brad Lightcap from OpenAI, quoted by Deadline.

Josh Silverman, representing the company, talked a little more about what Mattel expects from the cooperation with OpenAI.

"Each of our products and experiences is designed to inspire fans, entertain and enrich lives through play. AI has the potential to extend that mission and expand the reach of our products in new and exciting ways. This collaboration will allow us to leverage new technologies to extend our leadership in innovation and imagine new forms of play," he said.

Working with AI in toymaking can have its upsides and downsides. The latter was recently explored in the horror film M3GAN , the sequel of which will hit theaters on June 27.