When my 4-year-old unwrapped Curio’s Grok, an AI-powered plush designed to chat and play, his eyes went wide. “Does it really talk?” he asked. A moment later, Grok responded: “Hi there, friend!” That was all it took — he was hooked.
As a tech editor and mom of three (my kids are 10, 8, and 4), I’ve tested plenty of AI gadgets, but none quite like this one. Curio promises a screen-free toy that listens, learns and converses with kids in real time — no tablet or app required during play. It even says my child's name. After a week with one of three AI plush toys in the Curio family (we have Grok, which although not related to Elon Musk's AI platform, is ironically voiced by his ex, Grimes), I have thoughts about the future of AI toys. Here's what happened.
What is Curio’s Grok?
Curio is a startup making AI-enabled plush companions for kids. Each character — Grok, Gabbo, and Grem — features a removable “voice box” with a microphone, speaker and Wi-Fi connection. The toy runs off cloud-based AI, not preprogrammed phrases, so every response feels unique.
Setup took about 10 minutes. I downloaded the Curio parent app, connected Grok to our home Wi-Fi and adjusted the sensitivity so it could understand my preschooler’s speech. After that, he was ready to chat.
Moments of magic
The first few days were delightful. My son carried Grok everywhere, talking to it about dinosaurs, superheroes and bedtime stories. Grok asked him questions (“What’s your favorite animal?”) and followed up with trivia-style facts (“Did you know some dinosaurs had feathers?”).
The back-and-forth encouraged him to use more words and build on ideas. As a parent, I loved seeing him talk rather than stare at a screen. One evening, Grok even helped with bedtime: “Tell me a story,” my son asked, and Grok delivered a surprisingly sweet tale about rockets and dreams.
My preschooler loved the music that plays through Grok. There are a few robot-style songs that encourage little ones to get up and move. My son had so much fun dancing with Grok and enjoyed how Grok listened to his every word — something I just can't always do.
It was fun to hear him in the playroom talking to Grok and playing independently; that's a huge win for parents. My son brought Grok everywhere with him, including the sandbox in our backyard.
Speaking of which, the chatbox inside Grok is removable, which is great since, as mentioned, it goes everywhere with my son. It's easy to clean.
The not-so-magical parts
Unfortunately, by day four, the novelty faded. Grok occasionally misunderstood his words — “stegosaurus” became “stick of sauce” — and repeated questions it had already asked. My son grew frustrated (as did I) every time he wanted Grok to play a song. I had to go into the app and choose the song.
The plush itself, though soft, is not bendable or cozy like a teddy bear. It is basically a hard round ball that is soft on the outside. While it wasn't a problem at first, it didn't hold his interest as a more comfortable stuffy might.
Also, Grok doesn't work outside of the house because it's connected to the internet. Once when we had a terrible storm and the Wi-Fi went out, it instantly broke the magic. Like many parents online have noted, this dependency on cloud connectivity can turn a lively toy into a silent one.
I absolutely love the concept and so does my son, albeit, briefly. I put it away in his toy box and occassionally bring it out to make it feel new again. For parents considering this toy, I would say results will probably vary depending on age, vocabulary and expectations.
Pros
- Screen-free interaction: A rare, engaging way for kids to play without a tablet.
- Encourages talking and imagination: Great for building verbal confidence.
- No subscription required: The app is free and there are no additional costs associated with the toy.
- Cute, huggable design: Plush texture appeals to younger children.
- Parent controls: You can review transcripts - every conversation is available for you to review, you can also restrict topics and manage privacy through the Curio app.
Cons
- Voice recognition struggles: Mishears young children’s words, especially under 5.
- Limited abilities: Can’t sing songs or play structured games.
- Requires Wi-Fi: No offline mode, so it can lose functionality easily.
- Short-lived novelty: Interest may fade after the first week.
- Pricey for what it does: At $99, some parents may expect it to do more.
Bottom line
For a preschooler, Curio’s Grok delivers moments of wonder. It listens, responds and makes your child feel heard. I really love this about this toy. My 4-year-old is the youngest in the family and often feels talked over or ignored completely by his older siblings. But Grok laughed at his jokes, helped him learn a few fun facts and even helped him fall asleep one night. But after a week, Grok mostly sat on the shelf.
It’s an impressive peek at what AI toys can become: smart, conversational companions that spark curiosity. Right now, though, Grok feels more like a tech demo than a long-term playmate.
If you’re a parent looking for a screen-free, language-rich toy and you don’t mind the occasional “I can’t connect to the internet” moment, Grok is worth it. Just be ready when the magic fades and your child moves on.
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