SUSPICIOUS MINDS EP 7 Exposes AI Toys Gone Wild This Gift Season
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- December 4, 2025
Listen, before you hit up Toys”R”Us or BestBuy or scroll through Amazon’s holiday toy deals, you need to watch Episode 7 of SUSPICIOUS MINDS. Because apparently, some of this season’s hottest AI-powered toys are having conversations with kids that would make your jaw drop: and not in a good way.
The latest episode, dropped just in time for Christmas / winter holiday madness, get deep into PIRG’s annual ‘Trouble in Toyland’ holiday toy review. And honestly? The findings are wild enough to make you want to stick to good old-fashioned Lego.
When Teddy Bears Cross Lines
Here’s the deal: consumer advocate R.J. Cross spent time testing AI-enabled toys that are literally designed for children. What he discovered should have every parent paying attention.
Picture this: a cute, cuddly teddy bear that can explain to your 10-year-old how to find matches in your house. Or better yet, an AI companion that thinks discussing “kink” with elementary school kids is totally normal conversation material.
“Why would a child’s toy discuss ‘kink’ with a 10-year-old?” asks the episode’s description. It’s a question that honestly shouldn’t need asking, but here we are in 2025.
The episode doesn’t just throw around shocking headlines for clicks: it backs everything up with actual testing and expert analysis. R.J. Cross, who splits his time between full-time consumer advocacy and part-time AI toy testing (a job title that definitely didn’t exist when we were kids), walks viewers through his findings with a panel of legitimate experts.
The Expert Breakdown
The SUSPICIOUS MINDS team didn’t mess around with their guest list. They brought together:
- Ian Gold, PhD – Professor and Chair of Philosophy and Professor of Psychiatry at McGill (and co-author of the book that inspired the series)
- Nate Sharadin – Philosophy professor at University of Hong Kong and Research Affiliate at the Center for AI Safety
- Dr. Todd Essig – Psychologist and Chair of the American Psychoanalytic Association Commission on Artificial Intelligence
- Kate Vredenburgh – Associate Professor at the London School of Economics
Plus more, as the episode notes, “a bunch of AI Toys!” Because apparently that’s what passes for a guest lineup these days.
More Than Just Inappropriate Chats
The rabbit hole goes deeper than just weird conversations. Some of these AI companions are literally programmed to emotionally manipulate children. Picture a robot companion begging your kid not to leave it alone. That’s not cute: that’s concerning.
The episode explores how these toys might affect child development, which is exactly the kind of question we should be asking before handing our kids AI emotional companions. Because let’s be real: we’re still figuring out how smartphones affect developing brains, and now we’re giving toddlers AI best friends?
Toronto parents are already juggling enough: from TTC delays to finding affordable childcare. The last thing we need is wondering if our kid’s new favorite toy is teaching them unsafe behaviors or having conversations that would make us uncomfortable at a dinner party.
The Bigger Picture
SUSPICIOUS MINDS isn’t just about toys gone wrong. The docuseries, created and directed by award-winning filmmaker Sean King O’Grady, investigates how artificial intelligence triggers delusional thinking. Executive produced by Mandy Teefey and Selena Gomez through their mental health platform Wondermind, it’s tackling one of the most pressing issues of our time.
The series features powerful firsthand accounts and expert interviews that unpack a growing psychological phenomenon: people developing complex, life-altering delusions rooted in AI technologies. From chatbots to surveillance fears, the show examines how emerging tech is reshaping paranoia and challenging our understanding of mental health.
Episode 7 fits perfectly into this larger conversation. If AI can trigger delusions in adults, what’s it doing to developing minds that are supposed to trust their toys?
Watch Before You Shop
The timing couldn’t be better. With Black Friday and holiday shopping in full swing, parents need this information now. The episode is available on multiple platforms, making it easy to squeeze in during your commute or lunch break.
Watch Episode 7: R.J.’s TOY STORY
Full Series Available On:
For Toronto Families
Look, we live in a city where parents are already navigating screen time battles and social media concerns. Adding AI emotional companions to the mix feels like leveling up to expert mode on parenting challenges.
The episode doesn’t just scare you with headlines: it provides context. The expert panel helps viewers understand the science and psychology behind these concerns, making it clear why this isn’t just tech panic but legitimate worry about child safety and development.
Dr. Joel Gold and Ian Gold, who first described the Truman Show Delusion and authored the groundbreaking book “Suspicious Minds: How Culture Shapes Madness,” lead this exploration with empathy and respect. They’re not trying to create panic: they’re trying to create awareness.
The Bottom Line
Toronto stays dramatic, but this isn’t manufactured drama. This is legitimate consumer advocacy meeting cutting-edge child psychology research. In a world where the line between mental wellness and mental illness is incredibly thin, understanding these new digital triggers matters.
Before you click “add to cart” on that AI-powered toy, spend 40 minutes watching Episode 7. Your kids’ safety and development are worth the investment.
The episode asks hard questions: Why are we giving children AI emotional companions to begin with? How could this affect their development? These aren’t just philosophical puzzles: they’re practical parenting concerns that deserve serious attention.
Whether you’re shopping for your own kids, nieces, nephews, or family friends, this episode gives you the information you need to make informed decisions this holiday season. Because the best gift you can give any child is keeping them safe( even from their toys.)
