Grimes is entering the toy industry with “Grok,” a character she lent her voice to for Curio’s new line of screen-free AI plushies.
It’s important to note that this toy is not associated with the AI chatbot supported by Grimes’ ex, Elon Musk, which is also named Grok. Musk described xAI’s Grok as having a “rebellious streak” and a readiness to answer “spicy questions” rejected by most other AI systems, and it tends to be vulgar if prompted.
In contrast, Grok, Gabbo, and Grem are designed to foster playfulness. Grimes, in a conversation with Curio founders Misha Sallee and Sam Eaton, emphasized the importance of nurturing creativity in children through dynamic conversations rather than static prompts.
She expressed her preference for inspiring imagination in children’s current reality rather than solely through screens. In Curio’s announcement video, Grimes mentioned her desire to keep her kids away from screens while acknowledging her busy schedule.
Curio claims that these plushies can engage in full conversations, allowing kids (or adults) to practice their communication skills. The beta versions of the toys are available for preorder until Sunday, priced at $99 each and recommended for kids aged 3 to 7. Grimes’ oldest child with Musk, named X Æ A-Xii, is 3 years old.
The plushies can provide information about rocket ships, play games, and encourage the development of listening and conversation skills. Each plushie contains a rechargeable, Wi-Fi-connected speaker and mic, linked to an app for parents to set up and monitor interactions with their kids.
Grimes, in a conversation with Eaton and Sallee, expressed her goal of preserving as many young minds as possible and reducing reliance on iPads. She highlighted the benefits of keeping things verbal to engage working memory and enhance cognitive functions.
Grimes became involved with Curio after responding to a post about the future of AI-integrated toys. The line was launched about a week after Musk’s ChatGPT competitor, also named Grok, was introduced to X Premium Plus subscribers.
There’s an amusing overlap as both Grimes’ and xAI’s Grok share the same name. Business Insider reports that Grimes’ Grok was trademarked first, with Curio filing its trademark on September 12, while xAI filed its trademark on October 23.
Curio’s Grok is short for Grocket, reflecting Grimes’ children’s exposure to rockets due to their father’s ownership of SpaceX, according to The Washington Post.
Grimes and Musk are currently embroiled in a custody battle over their three children, filing child custody lawsuits against each other in California and Texas.
In response to the shared name, Grimes acknowledged the situation, stating that by the time Curio realized xAI’s Grok team was also using the name, it was too late for either AI to change names. She humorously remarked that there are now two AIs named Grok and looked forward to them becoming friends, noting the irony that even AI can’t avoid encountering another with the same name.
