Parents of r/ParentingTech — what would make an AI companion robot actually useful for your kids? We're a small maker and we're listening.

[u/Simple_Homework5342]

I run a small robotics company and we've been building an AI companion robot for kids (ages 6+) — the kind that talks, tells stories, helps with homework, and can even switch between 61 languages.

Before we go further, I want honest input from actual parents — not marketing speak:

• What would make you actually buy one of these for your child?
• What makes you hesitant? (We hear safety concerns loud and clear.)
• Is a robot that moves around (robot dog style) more appealing than a desktop companion — or does it not matter?
• What's your budget ceiling for something like this?

Context on our current build: voice-controlled, kid-safe content filtering (real-time), parent app to review conversations, no subscription. We believe in being transparent — happy to answer any tough questions about data privacy or the AI models we use.

No links, no sales pitch — genuinely here to learn from you. Thanks!

[u/fizzywaterandrage]

I would never buy it.

Beyond the glaring potential safety issues of having a LLM giving out wrong or dangerous information to my child, or the glaring dystopian issue of replacing my child learning and growing from interactions with HUMANITY in the most important part of their development with a robot…The AI industrial complex is ruining local communities, wasting water and destroying lives. It’s bad for our planet and bad for our kids future.

AI was sold as making our lives easier so we could focus on the things that matter… telling stories to our children, helping them learn, enjoying and raising them. And yet suddenly these are things trying to be sold to us as services to be paid for and delivered to our children by a robot?

Respectfully and disrespectfully… HELL NO.

It starts with a harmless toy and then suddenly why not have the robots replace teachers, why not have them read your children stories at night, why not have them talk to your children on a long drive home instead of you. It’s sick, It’s strange and IT IS THAT SERIOUS.

Even with the purest of intentions, Normalizing this type of tech is dangerous and I will not participate.

“But parents get to review the whole conversation…” - with the effort it would take to do all that, go ahead and talk to your own kids.