In the context of the integrated development of the digital economy and cultural consumption, toys are no longer exclusive to children—they have gradually become a carrier of emotional consumption across multiple age groups.
Trend toys represented by Labubu are gaining fans worldwide. From blind-box collecting to cross‑industry IP collaborations, trend toys attract enthusiasts with unique designs and social attributes. Data shows that among the top five toy categories by transaction share are trend blind boxes, plush dolls, and cartoon merchandise.
The development of AI technology has brought innovative changes to toy product forms. Toys are no longer static companions but interactive communication devices. Q&A encyclopedias, story playback, talking books… AI toys can achieve intelligent interaction and provide personalized experiences through deep learning, language processing, emotion computing, and other technologies. Data shows that the transaction growth rate of AI toys has increased more than tenfold recently. Children’s drones, smart dolls, and other toys are also popular among consumers.
As new toy products and new business models continue to emerge, new requirements are also being placed on industry development. Trend toys are not merely goods—they are a lifestyle for young consumers to express their attitudes. The design, production, and marketing of related toy products must better meet consumers’ emotional needs for individuality. Efforts should be made to improve product quality and cultural value to avoid homogeneous products flooding the market. Through integration with the cultural and tourism industries, the IP value chain of trend toys can be extended by creating theme parks, restaurants, markets, and more to expand consumption scenarios. Meanwhile, it is necessary to protect innovation achievements and improve the intellectual property protection system.
Given the application of new technologies such as AI, while embracing innovation, safety supervision must also be strengthened. For toys designed for minors in particular, the reliability of AI‑generated content must be ensured. During data collection and processing, user privacy must be protected from leakage. In addition to producing AI toys, relevant manufacturers should extend service chains by ensuring continuous system updates and iterations, thereby enhancing consumer stickiness and increasing product added value.
Declaration: This article comes from Economic Daily.If copyright issues are involved, please contact us to delete.
