By Kayla DeKraker
AI’s expansion isn’t slowing down, and it’s even heading for some iconic Hasbro IPs like Mr. Potato Head, Clue Characters and Transformers.
These toys will get AI versions thanks to a new partnership between ElevenLabs and Hasbro.
The AI audio startup partnered with the classic toy company to create interactive experiences surrounding Hasbro-licensed characters. Through the partnership, approved companies will be able to integrate authentic AI-powered versions of Hasbro characters into experiences ranging from interactive storytelling and games to theme park attractions, customer experiences, robotics and digital entertainment.
“We’ve approached this with very detailed and robust asset guardrails, so starting right from the whole direction of the character itself,” said Bertie Thomson, CEO of Habro’s AI Studio, of the partnership.
He added, “You have so many brand-new atmospheres and opportunities where their characters can be dynamic and interactive.”
ElevenLabs’ head of partnerships Dustin Blank said, “This partnership is really the first of its kind, where businesses of all kinds can now come to ElevenLabs and they can request to license these iconic characters from Hasbro today. It really sets the stage for the future of licensing.”
Related: Hasbro Announces Big Changes to Its Video Game Plans
ElevenLabs is on a mission to transform “how we interact with technology.”
“Our vision is to make communication and creation with technology seamless,” they said on their website. “We started by building with the first human-like voice model. Now we’ve expanded well beyond voice.”
Hasbro is going all in on AI. Along with the partnership with ElevenLabs, the toy company announced “Sixth Wall,” an AI studio within Hasbro.
“Built to bring iconic characters into the age of AI through authentic, licensed character experiences, Sixth Wall is grounded in a simple belief: characters must remain true to their creators, their brands, and the fans who love them,” the company said.
Sixth Wall’s proprietary system, CharacterOS, will help the company introduce “behavioral licensing,” a “new category of character licensing that will preserve their personality, canon and voice, as well as create safety guardrails across interactive experiences,” according to TheWrap.
“CharacterOS is compelling because it unlocks a bigger creative canvas while addressing a real challenge in AI: the unauthorized use of content. It is built around a creator-first model that gives voice talent and creatives a meaningful seat at the table. It gives brands a trusted way to bring characters into new AI-enabled platforms without losing what makes them authentic,” Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said in a statement. “And most exciting to me, it opens entirely new surfaces for play and storytelling, from making a store greeting feel magical to transforming a call waiting experience into a moment with a fan’s favorite character.”
It will be interesting to see how consumers respond to Hasbro’s AI efforts.
Read Next: Hasbro Rebrands Mr. Potato Head Toy to Gender-Neutral ‘Potato Head’
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