Canadian musician Grimes has partnered with toy company Curio to launch an AI-powered toy named "Grok."
Grok looks like a plush rocket ship, and kids can converse with it by asking questions and participating in imaginative play.
Grimes Launches AI Toy 'Grok'
With a speaker and microphone, Grok can transcribe and send all interactions with children to a dedicated app on their parents' phones for monitoring.
It aims to create a playful and educational experience for kids while allowing parents to stay connected with their children's activities.
During a conversation with a team from Curio, Grimes discussed the inspiration behind Grok and its development. The discussion touched on various aspects, including the creative process, the vision for the toy, and its unique features.
Grimes also expressed interest in creating a collaborative and participatory experience for children. On the other hand, the team discussed the fine-tuning process of an AI model, drawing parallels to the development of the Grimes bot.
Grimes highlighted the importance of the training data, which consisted of her own substantial body of writing. The musician also interacts with Grok in a video promoting the toy.
In the video, Grimes asks Grok, "Can you tell me how they make rocket ships?" The toy then answers: "Absolutely. Rockets are made with strong materials like titanium, and designed by highly trained rocket scientists."
The $99 toy features the voice of Grimes, who is an advisor and investor in Curio. Interestingly, the name "Grok" is the same as the "Grok" chatbot built by Elon Musk's new xAI venture. However, the toy has no affiliation with Musk, xAI, or even Space X.
Soft Launch Beta Program of 'Grok'
The AI interactive robot toy underwent a meticulous five-month fine-tuning process with the input of individuals, including Grimes' brother, to capture and refine her personality.
Grok's development involves a soft launch beta program with children, allowing them to actively participate in fine-tuning the toy's personality. The initial group of children, numbering around 200, provided feedback, playing a role in shaping Grok's character.
As Grok evolves, the team envisions incorporating additional features such as memory, personalization, and non-verbal elements like music and white noise. The goal is to create a dynamic and engaging experience as well as gradually transform Grok into a real-life cartoon character.
Grimes is currently in a custody battle with Elon Musk over their three children, and they are feuding over which state should make legal decisions on their custody arrangement.
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