Tokyo Toy Show has been showing off products that use AI

The International Tokyo Toy Show has been showing off products that use artificial intelligence and others that appeal to adults who are kids at heart. More than 200 companies and organizations are displaying around 35,000 items at the annual exhibition, which opened on Thursday.

One product is a robot inspired by a meerkat. AI gives it the power of speech. The device draws from its past conversations with humans and from visual scenes stored in its memory. At the event, there was no shortage of “kidults,” grown-ups who like playing with kids’ stuff. The Japan Toy Association said these consumers are driving the domestic market. The exhibition runs through Sunday.