Furby (1998-2016)

Tiger Electronics Furby

🥇First Commercially-Successful AI-Powered Toy 

The Furby, launched by Tiger Electronics in October 1998, was a groundbreaking "emotronic" companion that combined the virtual pet craze with advanced robotics to become the ultimate holiday phenomenon. Standing about six inches tall with a motorized beak, blinking eyes, and expressive ears, the Furby was powered by a single DC motor and a complex system of gears that allowed it to react to touch, sound, and light. Its most revolutionary feature was its "learning" capability; while it initially spoke only Furbish—a unique language inspired by Thai and Mandarin—it was programmed to gradually integrate more English into its vocabulary as its "age" increased, creating the illusion of a developing personality. This sophisticated interaction was so convincing that it famously triggered a 1999 ban by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Pentagon, where officials feared the toys were equipped with recording devices capable of eavesdropping on classified conversations. Despite these "spy" rumors and its reputation for waking up at night with high-pitched chirps, the original Furby sold over 40 million units in its first three years, cementing its status as the first mass-market robot to forge a genuine, if occasionally eerie, emotional bond with a generation of children.

Source: Elephants Trunk Flea Market