Image Credits:Pinwheel” loading=”eager” height=”640″ width=”960″ class=”yf-1gfnohs loader”/>As a parent, it can be daunting to hand over a smart device to their tween when a myriad of online dangers exist. Pinwheel, a kid-friendly tech company, is introducing a new solution for parents who want to stay connected with their children without giving them a phone.
The Pinwheel Watch is a recently launched smartwatch designed specifically for kids aged 7 to 14, offering a child-safe alternative that prevents access to social media and the internet. It features parental management tools, GPS tracking, a camera, voice-to-text messaging, fun mini-games, and — here’s a surprise — an AI chatbot.
The smartwatch itself features a sleek black design and a screen that is slightly larger than that of an Apple Watch. It’s currently priced at $160, with a $15 monthly subscription. It became available for purchase on Pinwheel.com last week, and we’ve been testing it over the past few days.
In addition to a more standard set of parental controls, the feature some parents might be wary of is the watch’s AI assistant, “PinwheelGPT.”
PinwheelGPT is designed as a safer alternative to typical AI chatbots, enabling kids to ask questions about various topics, including everyday curiosities, social interactions, and homework-related questions, the company claims.
However, parents may already be cautious about AI chatbots, as they can produce misinformation. Parents could also argue that the friendly nature of chatbots can lead to unhealthy patterns, where children rely on these digital companions for interaction instead of engaging in face-to-face interactions with family and friends.
Image Credits:Pinwheel” loading=”lazy” height=”453″ width=”680″ class=”yf-1gfnohs loader”/>The company explained to us that safeguards are in place; the AI is trained to recognize topics that may be sensitive or inappropriate for children, opting out of these conversations and encouraging kids to discuss such matters with a trusted adult instead. During our limited testing, we confirmed that PinwheelGPT successfully avoided answering inappropriate or violent questions.
Additionally, parents have full visibility into all interactions with the chatbot, including both current and previously deleted chats, so they can step in if any red flags arise.
“We have not received any pushback from parents because it’s possible, if they are concerned, to remove the PinwheelGPT from the watch or turn it off via your own controls,” said founder Dane Witbeck, who is a father of four. “We do not use any personal data provided by any users, minors, or adults, in training AI models,” he noted.
Witbeck’s company launched its first child-safe phone in 2020 and, four years later, ranked No. 212 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America for 2024.
