Overview
- At the 75th Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg, organizers named artificial intelligence the trend of the year, with 2,313 exhibitors showing roughly one million products from January 27 to 31.
- Researchers and youth-safety groups caution that generative systems can deliver unsuitable responses and enable problematic data flows, citing a recent U.S. case of a talking toy withdrawn for dangerous guidance to children.
- TÜV Rheinland advises parents to keep control over connectivity and data settings and to favor established retailers, while market researcher Axel Dammler urges careful evaluation of whether AI meaningfully improves play.
- A stricter EU toy-safety regulation took effect on January 1 with digital product passports and broader chemical bans, though full implementation runs to 2030 and industry groups press for tighter enforcement against unsafe imports.
- Alongside screen‑light AI products such as the TukToro digital dice and the Qubitunes music box, the fair highlights an analogue "creative mindfulness" wave and expanded offerings for adult collectors and hobbyists.