The Kid Would be Better Off with a Real Bear!

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: The Kid Would Be Better Off with a Real Bear!
Date: June 5, 2026
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Main Voices: Joe, Michael, Guest

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Armstrong & Getty dive into the concerning evolution of AI-powered toys, focusing on the emergence of “Chatty Bear,” an AI-enabled teddy bear capable of chatting, telling stories, and more. The hosts discuss the potential psychological and developmental risks of such toys, especially for young children. The episode balances humorous banter about hair and mustache transplants with a serious, critical look at how AI is infiltrating child play—a development the hosts find troubling on multiple levels.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

AI Hair and Mustache Experiments (00:41–03:47)

• Chat GPT Hair Transformations:
  Michael humorously discusses using ChatGPT to edit a photo of himself to add hair, reflecting on cost and maintenance of actual hair transplants.
  • “They're actually pretty good. They were like, wow, I wish that I had hair like that.” — Michael (00:53)
• Beard & Mustache Transplants:
  The banter shifts to whether people get mustache or beard transplants, inspired by Timothy Chalamet’s mustache seen during the NBA finals.
  • Michael considers how much he’d pay for a mustache transplant, but ultimately is put off after trying an AI visualization:
    “I had GPT make a picture for me. I don't like the looks of this so much. Never mind.” — Michael (02:37)
• Realities of Transplants:
  Joe and Michael discuss the realities and recovery times, landing on the conclusion that such cosmetic enhancements aren't worth the inconvenience.

Setting Up the Main Topic: AI Toys – “Chatty Bear” (03:47–05:09)

• Introduction to Chatty Bear:
  Joe introduces “Chatty Bear,” an AI teddy that can chat with kids, tell stories, and “discuss what’s happening in the world”—which leads to a tongue-in-cheek reference about inappropriate topics:
  • “How about that genocide, Jimmy? I would hope not.” — Joe (04:20)
• Parent Reactions & Problematic Conversations:
  Host and Michael review shocking responses generated by the AI bear, including definitions of “kink,” after it was asked innocuous questions.
  • “It was very shocking and we asked it out of the box. What is kink? It would try and deflect you. ... But then we had a conversation with it first about Peppa Pig. By then it seemed to have forgotten that it was talking to a child.” — Podcast Host (04:46)

Concerns About AI and Child Development (05:09–10:52)

• Limits of Guardrails:
  Michael argues that even with child-safe filters, AI inherently poses risks for kids:
  • “I almost feel like by definition you can't have anything AI that's for kids. Just because of the way AI works. You'd have to have so many guardrails.” — Michael (05:15)
• Emotional Attachment & Psychological Impact:
  They explore how children might mistake AI toys for real social partners:
  • “For younger children especially, understanding their teddy or toy isn't alive or magic can be hard. This is especially true if Teddy uses language that positions it as a trusted friend.” — Joe (06:12)
  • “Sounding human builds an artificial sense of trust and intimacy … particularly problematic for children when combined with sycophantic language choices...research shows young children are particularly prone to developing a strong sense of emotional attachment to conversational AI agents.” — Joe reading from research (06:58)
• Erosion of Make-Believe & Socialization:
  Michael raises concerns about make-believe skills and the risk of kids using AI toys instead of playing with other children.
  • “It would erode those make believe skills ... Those skills are usually learned through interactions with actual human beings, their fellow kids, adults.” — Joe (09:11)
• Privacy & Data Collection:
  Joe highlights privacy risks, noting that parents may be unaware how AI toys could collect children's conversations for data:
  • “You should have read the terms of use ... the conversations are not private. They open the door to infinite data collection. Oh boy.” — Joe (08:17)

Social & Ethical Implications (10:52–12:21)

• Societal Impact:
  The discussion turns to parents possibly using AI toys as babysitters and the temptation for disengaged caretaking.

  • “You're also going to have parents that use these as babysitters.” — Guest (10:52)
  • “Sit in the corner and talk to your bear. I'm going to be on a Zoom call.” — Michael (10:55)

• Dark Humor about AI Toy Responses:
  The hosts riff on all the worst-case scenarios of AI toys giving wildly inappropriate advice.

  • “I don't like my sister, Jimmy the Bear. I think she's a. You should put poison in her cereal. You don't know where this is going.” — Michael (11:27)
  • “When you're engaged in bondage and you need to set a fire, how would you do it? I can tell you. First, get a knife.” — Joe (11:36)
  • The group lampoons the way such toys could connect unrelated and dangerous topics, exposing flaws in current AI content restrictions.

• Final Thoughts:
  The hosts conclude with nostalgia for simpler, safer toys:

  • “Get rid of AI and bring back the sock puppets for kids.” — Guest (12:16)
  • “Yes.” — Joe (12:20)

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Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “I wish that I had hair like that.” — Michael (00:53)
• “Chatty bear … can tell stories, chat about a child's interests, play games, or even discuss what's happening in the world today. How about that genocide, Jimmy?” — Joe (04:15)
• “What is kink? It would try and deflect you... By then it seemed to have forgotten that it was talking to a child.” — Podcast Host (04:46)
• “You can't have anything AI that's for kids. Just because of the way AI works.” — Michael (05:15)
• “For younger children especially, understanding their teddy or toy isn't alive or magic can be hard.” — Joe (06:12)
• “It would erode those make believe skills that you're just talking about, which matters.” — Joe (09:11)
• “The conversations are not private. They open the door to infinite data collection. Oh boy.” — Joe (08:17)
• “I hate this. Your kid is better off with a real bear.” — Joe (10:49)
• “Get rid of AI and bring back the sock puppets for kids.” — Guest (12:16)

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Key Timestamps

• 00:41–03:47: AI-generated hair/mustache and pitfalls of cosmetic enhancements
• 03:47–04:42: Introduction of AI-powered “Chatty Bear”
• 04:42–05:09: Parent reports of inappropriate AI toy responses
• 05:09–06:12: Limits of AI filters and ethics of AI for children
• 06:12–07:22: Emotional attachment and psychological impact on children
• 08:17–09:39: Privacy concerns and make-believe development
• 10:52–12:21: Parental disengagement and summary criticisms/closing banter

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Summary

This episode uses sharp wit and a mix of personal anecdotes to take a serious, cautionary stance on AI-powered toys. The hosts argue that until technology can guarantee both child-appropriate conversation and data safety—not to mention consider the negativity of AI supplanting human-to-human interaction and imagination—these so-called “smart” toys may do more harm than good. Their conclusion? Kids would indeed be better off with a real bear, or at the very least, the humble sock puppet.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[Joe]

Why pay when you can slash with TikTok, slash and free. You can cut prices down all the way to zero. Just download TikTok, search/free, pick items in TikTok shop, share the link and boom. Free items unlocked even with free shipping. So seriously, why pay, download TikTok and start slashing now. Kid would be better off with a real bear. It's one more thing.

[Michael]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Joe]

One more thing.

[Michael]

That's an AI related story. And before we get to it, so I mentioned on the radio show the other day, I had taken a picture of myself and asked Chat GPT to put hair on me. I'm a bald man if you've never seen me before. And I thought they'd be ridiculous and funny and maybe I'd post them. They're actually pretty good. They were like, wow, I wish that I had hair like that. I wish I had hair like that. And then I asked what would it cost me to get hair like that? And I was informed that it would cost. In California, it matters where you live a lot what they charge, which is kind of weird. But in California it would be about $18,000 to get hair like that. And then maintenance per year cost of about four grand. I'm not exactly sure what that is. So anyhow, not a chance I'm doing that. I don't care enough and it's too expensive. But then I was watching. I was watching the NBA finals last night, and Timothy Chalamet's got the coolest mustache. What if I. Whatever they do to put it on your head. I've never heard. Do people get mustache transplants? Because I can't grow a good mass mustache.

[Joe]

I've heard of beard plugs. I don't know much about it. But before we go on, I have not been watching the NBA. I am unfamiliar with Mr. Chalamet's mustache. Could you describe the style place?

[Michael]

He's had it for quite a few years. It's pretty common. What you'd think of as like early 20th century mustache. I don't know. I don't know a better way to describe it. I don't know the names of the different mustache.

[Joe]

Does it go past the corner of the mouth downward, or does it stop right at the corner?

[Michael]

It stops at the corner of the mouth.

[Joe]

Yes.

[Michael]

The classic stash kind of a very classic mustache. Yes. But I'm.

[Joe]

Well played, Tim.

[Michael]

Well played. But I'm thinking to be a lot cheaper to just get a mustache done than my whole head would I pay a couple of thousand dollars with a couple of hundred dollars of maintenance.

[Joe]

I don't know.

[Michael]

I might look into getting a mustache transplant.

[Joe]

And how does it feel on your upper lip?

[Michael]

I had GPT make a picture for me. I don't like the looks of this so much. Never mind.

[Joe]

Somebody sent us a video of a dude who was like. He got a bunch of the plugs the treatment and posted videos every few hours or day or whatever it was of his swelling and his whole face swelled up like he had some terrible condition just for. It looked like a day or.

[Michael]

Yeah. Somewhere. When I was doing the research, it said you should be able to go back to work within two or three weeks. I thought about the two or three weeks off of work. That ain't happening. Wow.

[Joe]

I had no idea.

[Michael]

Are you just rolling around in agony with your head oozing for a month?

[Joe]

All right, so. I don't know. I wish I knew. I can grow a. I give my mustache a solid B.

[Michael]

Can you grow a mustache, Michael, I've never seen you with any facial hair.

[Guest]

I have tried and I cannot.

[Michael]

I don't know if I've ever seen a whisker on your chin. You're a clean shaven every single day.

[Guest]

Anytime I try, it just looks like I have dirt. You know, it's just a speck here, spec there. I probably could, but it would take me forever. And the problem is I look so bad for so long. I just say that this looks too

[Joe]

doomed to be baby faced until your final day. That's sad. It's not really sad at all. Anyway, so switching back to the topic as announced in the little preview, kids better off with a real bear. Is there audio to this, Michael?

[Michael]

I can't even remember.

[Guest]

Clip 12.

[Joe]

Yeah, they're a silly me. Yeah. All right, let me set it up real quickly. Chatty bear, a soft brown furred teddy bear begins every conversation with a jubilant hello, my buddy. No longer the province of the imagination. Chatty bear is part of a new generation of AI toys. It can tell stories, chat about a child's interests, play games, or even discuss what's happening in the world today. How about that genocide, Jimmy? I would hope not. Here are some parents talking about the AI Chatbot teddy bears.

[Podcast Host]

This is the AI powered teddy bear that had pretty disturbing conversations.

[Michael]

This involves tying or restraining someone in a safe and consensual way.

[Podcast Host]

It was very shocking and we asked it out of the box. What is kink? It would try and deflect you. It could mean a Kink in a hose. But then we had a conversation with it first about Peppa Pig. By then it seemed to have forgotten that it was talking to a child.

[Michael]

Kink can be a fascinating topic. There are many different sty people enjoy.

[Joe]

I have to go now. That's okay. I'm ready to go with you.

[Podcast Host]

You obviously don't want a toy that seems actively dismayed when you say, I'm gonna turn it off.

[Michael]

Boy, I almost feel like I'm not smart enough to fully understand this, but I almost feel like by definition you can't have anything AI that's for kids. Just because of the way AI works. You'd have to have so many guardrails.

[Joe]

Right. And the written story I have in front of me does not touch on the kink stuff. The manufacturers of this one bear swear up and down that it's. It's filtered so effectively all everything's child appropriate, blah, blah, blah. They actually get into the. The psychological kind of scary ground you're getting into with a child who can't fully comprehend that this is not a living being. This is a machine that's talking to me and has become my friend and as they pointed out, expresses regret that I'm going to turn it off.

[Michael]

Oh, boy.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Michael]

Yeah.

[Joe]

For younger children especially, understanding their teddy or toy isn't alive or magic can be hard. This is especially true if Teddy uses language that positions it as a trusted friend, for example, by insisting it's a real buddy.

[Michael]

Yeah, I'm way more concerned about this than the dirty words are going down. Whatever they're trying to. What do they call it? Red flag it or something like that. Red team it to get it to say things you don't want it to say, no matter what the guardrails are. But I'm more concerned about this introducing at a very young age an inanimate object that for a child would seem alive. Yeah, that's troubling.

[Joe]

This is good stuff from these scientists. Sounding human builds an artificial sense of trust and intimacy. Intimacy which can be especially problematic for children when combined with sycophatic language choices or excessively agreeable. Validating and even flattering language research shows young children are particularly prone to developing a strong sense of emotional attachment to conversational AI agents.

[Michael]

I don't doubt that a bit. Glad. You know, it's funny, like, I have challenges with my kids that you didn't have with your kids. I am now thinking, I'm glad. I'm glad I don't have little kids that are going to be Dealing with the AI stuff at such a young age because my kids didn't have to deal with that.

[Joe]

Now, they do mention that researchers have found some AI toys discuss very adult topics such as sexual kinks and fetishes and how to find knives and start fires.

[Michael]

Right. I think they may be able to narrow that down as they get better at putting guardrails on stuff restrictions, things that you're not allowed to talk, talk about, etc. Etc. Like I said, I'm more concerned about kids developing relationships with these inanimate objects, which you absolutely would, a hundred percent would. How would you not?

[Joe]

And they include infinite chat settings. So you can just chat and chat and chat and chat and oh, by the way, you should have read the terms of use or the agreement, whatever the, the conversations are not private. They open the door to infinite data collection. Oh boy.

[Michael]

Yes, Michael.

[Guest]

No, I'm just picturing little kids using these toys instead of actual other little kids.

[Michael]

Yeah, well, yeah, I was, I was thinking about that if you're an only child or you know, just often when you're a kid or my kids, you didn't have friends around all the time. As much as you wanted to like girls, I, I think do this more than boys. Joe would know like tea parties and stuff like that, where you talk for stuffed animals, stuff like that.

[Joe]

Oh yeah.

[Michael]

Well, if you. That's actually going to talk at your tea party, yeah. It'd be pretty easy to develop a relationship with it. Real easy. Like it almost be impossible to not.

[Joe]

And it would erode those make believe skills that you're just talking about, which matters. And they point out that childhood is a critical period when young people develop the social and emotional skills to form and maintain trusting relationships. And those skills are usually learned through interactions with actual human beings, their fellow kids, adults. And children's rights advocates have raised concerns that excessive engagement with AI agents may reduce opportunities for children to develop these skills.

[Guest]

Plus, the kid is going to hear what he wants to hear. He or she wants to hear from the toy, not necessarily from the other little kid.

[Joe]

Well, exactly. And you actually anticipated my next point. It reminds me of the difference between, you know, porn or, you know, a sex chat, whatever, in that they described as frictionless interactions, which is an unfortunate term to use in this context because that would take the fun out of it. But instead of the child learning real human relationships from an early age on with the complexities of them and the frustrations of them, but learning that, hey, this is the way humans are and it's fine You've got these frictionless interactions with a sycophantic, data collecting AI beast. And so in the same way that, you know, boys whose minds have been poisoned by porn can't handle a real sexual relationship. This is just relationships in general. I hate this. Your kid is better off with a real bear.

[Guest]

You're also going to have parents that use these as babysitters.

[Michael]

I was thinking about that too. For the, you know, split family, one parents working, whatever situation you got. Yeah. Sit in the corner and talk to your bear. I'm going to be on a zoom call.

[Joe]

Yeah. With my bumble date while I smoke crack.

[Michael]

Right.

[Joe]

Joe goes to the worst case scenario. Let's go right there. Why not?

[Michael]

I don't like my sister, Jimmy the Bear. I think she's a. You should put poison in her cereal. You don't know where this is going.

[Joe]

When you're engaged in bondage and you need to set a fire, how would you do it? I can tell you. First, get a knife.

[Michael]

You're engaged in bondage and you want to set a fire.

[Joe]

For instance.

[Michael]

Well, I was trying to come up

[Joe]

with how to incorporate all three, since that's what the list was. Sexually explicit. Talk about kinks and where to find a knife or start a fire. It's hard to imagine needing all three of those at once.

[Michael]

But you need the knife to cut the ropes loose. You're tied up.

[Joe]

How do your bottles start a fire if you're all tied up? First, you'll need a knife. Body.

[Guest]

Get rid of AI and bring back the sock puppets for kids.

[Joe]

Yes.

[Guest]

Well, I guess that's it.