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KAI: The Artificial Intelligence Robot
By Thames & Kosmos. Visit KAI: The Artificial Intelligence Robot
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
KAI is a six-legged robot kit with an LED face that children build from 123 pieces. In the app, they record gestures and sounds with their tablet's camera and microphone, train a machine learning model, watch its learning curve, and then control KAI with those gestures or sounds. A 64-page manual explains AI with a comic story and includes a paper-and-cups AI activity. It is for ages 10+ with help, or 12+ alone.
Our take: A good, privacy-friendly introduction to machine learning for ages 10-14; younger kids will need an adult for the build.
| Ages it suits | 10+ with help, 12+ alone |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | Store terms say the buyer must be the age of majority or let a minor dependent use the site; the privacy policy says the services are not for children. The app works offline. (terms) |
| Price | Paid. $99.95 (Oct 2026); needs 4 AAA batteries and a tablet or phone |
| Works on | A device, iPhone and iPad, Android |
| Account | No account needed |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | The app trains a small model on the child's own gesture and sound samples, fully offline on the tablet. |
What's good
- Shows how machine learning is trained
- Offline app; samples not saved
- Hands-on build plus a clear manual
Watch for
- Needs a tablet or phone
- Assembly takes patience
- Uses the device camera and mic during training
Data and privacy
The maker says the KAI app works fully offline, does not save camera or microphone samples as photos or audio, and keeps only abstract features of them on the device. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
No independent study found; the maker cites awards (Toy Insider STEM 10, 2023).
In the Big Index
- On the list 15 AI gifts for kids under $50 (Christmas 2026)
- On the list 14 AI and tech gifts for kids under $100 (Christmas 2026)
- On the list 14 stocking stuffers under $25 that teach tech or AI
- On the list 13 best AI robots for kids, by age
- On the list 15 best coding robots for kids
- On the list 15 STEM and AI kits that teach how machine learning works
- On the list 17 best screen-free learning toys for the AI age
- On the list 13 books about AI and robots for kids, as gifts, by age
- Thames & Kosmos
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Where these facts come from
- https://thamesandkosmos.com/products/kai-the-artificial-intelligence-robot
- https://thamesandkosmos.com/policies/privacy-policy
- https://thamesandkosmos.com/policies/terms-of-service
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.