Lego has unveiled Smart Bricks - tech-filled versions of its small building blocks - which it claims will animate sets with sound, light, and responses to movement.
Despite the excitement of innovation, play experts express mixed feelings, cautioning that the toys could compromise the unique qualities Lego has historically provided in nurturing children's creativity.
During the announcement at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Lego described its new Smart Play system as the most revolutionary development in nearly five decades.
While Smart Bricks will launch in March within a new Star Wars set, critics like Josh Golin, executive director of Fairplay, worry that these features compromise the imaginative play that typically characterizes Lego use.
Experts suggest that these developments, while enticing, could distract from the essence of traditional Lego play—fostering creativity through children’s inventiveness alone.
However, the company's leadership maintains that integrating physical and digital play can enhance a child's experience by introducing elements that respond to their actions, providing an interactive dimension to traditional block building.
Smart Bricks are engineered to sense motion, position, and distance, interacting with Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags to create engaging responses during play. For instance, a birthday cake set responds with celebratory sounds when its candles are simulated to be blown out.
Despite the excitement surrounding these advancements, educational professionals raise concerns about the privacy implications of introducing AI technology into children’s toys. They emphasize the importance of maintaining critical awareness about how such technologies can influence kids' daily lives and creative processes.
