Insider Brief
- Miko is adding a default-off conversational AI toggle to its Miko 3 and Miko Mini robots, giving parents control over whether children can access open-ended chat features.
- The update allows caregivers to enable or disable conversational AI through the Miko Parents App, while retaining structured content such as stories, math exercises, quizzes, music and movement-based activities even when free-form chat is turned off.
- The roadmap change follows allegations by Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal, reported by NBC News, that a publicly accessible database exposed thousands of the toys’ audio responses, claims Miko has denied, saying it does not store children’s voice recordings and that no personal data was compromised.
California-based robot toy maker Miko is updating its 2026 product roadmap with a sharper emphasis on parental control over conversational AI, according to the company.
The KidSafe AI and robotics developer said it is introducing an ON/OFF toggle for open-ended AI conversation on its Miko 3 and Miko Mini robots. Current users can disable conversational AI through the Miko Parents App, while new devices will ship with the feature turned off by default, requiring parents to opt in.
When enabled, children can engage in AI-powered dialogue with Miko products designed for learning and curiosity. When disabled, the robots shift to a structured mode that removes open-ended chat but retains prebuilt content and guided activities, according to the company.
The news comes after U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal allege that Miko, a maker of AI-powered children’s toys, left a publicly accessible database containing thousands of the toys’ audio responses to children, potentially exposing names and details of conversations. The database, reviewed and reported by NBC News, appeared to store responses organized by cloud provider and language, allowing outsiders to reconstruct portions of user interactions, though not the children’s recorded voices.
Miko denied any breach to NBC, saying it does not store children’s voice recordings and that no personal data was compromised, and said it would respond to the senators’ inquiry. The lawmakers have also sought information from other AI toy makers about data security and parental controls, citing broader concerns about privacy, cybersecurity lapses and AI-driven interactions with children.
Miko said the update builds on its existing multi-layered safety architecture, which includes content filtering and parental controls. Through the Parents App, caregivers can set usage time limits, disable the robot’s camera or microphone, activate bedtime mode, review activity reports, and reset device data.
Even with conversational AI turned off, the robots continue to offer story read-alouds, interactive tales, math practice, quizzes, dance routines, music features and other structured educational modules that do not rely on free-form chat.
Miko said its AI engine is kidSAFE certified and COPPA compliant, and that it does not store or distribute personal, voice or visual data. The company also undergoes annual third-party AI safety evaluations, security audits and privacy compliance reviews as part of its child-focused design framework.
