Geeta Singh
In a move that blends nostalgia with cutting-edge tech, Mattel—the legendary toymaker behind Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Fisher-Price—is joining forces with OpenAI to infuse generative AI into its toys, entertainment projects, and product development. The partnership marks OpenAI’s first major collaboration with a toy company, signaling its ambition to expand beyond enterprise and media deals into the world of play.
OpenAI is venturing beyond its usual licensing deals with news publishers and enterprise clients, striking a new partnership that could give the AI leader a significant foothold in Mattel’s rapidly expanding entertainment division. This move marks another strategic licensing play for OpenAI, similar to its collaborations with publishers like the Financial Times and Axel Springer. However, this time, OpenAI is stepping into a world of “plastic and imagination,” potentially tapping into Mattel’s growing entertainment empire.
After the runaway success of the movie, ‘Barbie’ (2023), Mattel has been doubling down on turning its toy IP into movies, TV shows, and games. A ‘Hot Wheels’ film is in the works, along with adaptations of ‘Polly Pocket’, ‘Barney’, ‘UNO’, and ‘Masters of the Universe’. The company is also pushing into gaming, with plans to self-publish its first title in 2026.
The exact nature of the AI-powered products remains under wraps, but Mattel and OpenAI say they’ll debut their first collaboration later this year, with a focus on “enhancing fan engagement in a safe, thoughtful, and responsible way.” As per Tech Crunch details of the deal remain limited, but the companies plan to unveil their first AI-driven product later this year, designed to enhance fan engagement in a “safe, thoughtful, and responsible way.” Mattel emphasized that safety, privacy, and security will be central to the collaboration.
Josh Silverman, Mattel’s Chief Franchise Officer, told Bloomberg that the AI-powered offerings will span “physical products and some experiences.” He clarified that Mattel is not licensing its intellectual property to OpenAI and will retain full creative control over all products developed through the partnership. As part of the agreement, Mattel employees will gain access to OpenAI’s enterprise tools, including ChatGPT Enterprise, to streamline product development and ideation. Beyond consumer-facing products, Mattel plans to use OpenAI’s tools—including ChatGPT Enterprise—internally to speed up product development and brainstorming.
For OpenAI, the deal is another step toward embedding its technology across industries. For Mattel, it’s a way to stay ahead in an era where kids and adults expect smarter, more interactive toys. And if Barbie’s billion-dollar box office proved anything, it’s that Mattel’s brands still have serious cultural cachet—especially when given a fresh, modern twist. Now, with AI in the mix, that twist just got a lot more interesting.
