Hasbro is tapping into artificial intelligence built around its own characters to help create the next generation of toys and entertainment products. CEO Chris Cocks revealed the approach during an interview on the Decoder podcast with The Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel.
Cocks said Hasbro’s teams are using custom AI models trained on its well-known brands, including Peppa Pig and Transformers. These tools allow designers to produce detailed renderings and new product ideas much faster than before. “We can have pretty sophisticated renderings pretty fast of products and ideas,” Cocks said during the discussion.
The CEO explained that Hasbro’s internal technology suite combines tools from major AI companies with its own proprietary models that reflect its unique characters and franchises. He said the new process captures the personality and style of the company’s creations while cutting down the time needed to develop new concepts.
When development schedules allow, Cocks said design teams can even program character traits directly into the AI systems. That lets digital versions of mascots like Peppa Pig or Optimus Prime act as creative partners in the design process. “We have Peppa Pig co-design Peppa Pig products with us. Optimus Prime co-designs Optimus Prime Transformers products with us,” he said.
Inside Hasbro’s headquarters, the company is using these same AI character models in unique ways. Cocks described how digital versions of Optimus Prime and Megatron serve as interactive DJs in the main hall, entertaining employees and visitors in a playful nod to the brand’s decades-long legacy.
Hasbro’s move highlights how large entertainment companies are bringing artificial intelligence further into their creative workflows. Supporters see it as a way to boost efficiency and innovation, while critics warn it could eventually blur the line between human imagination and machine production. Either way, Hasbro’s investment in AI-driven creativity shows how closely the future of toys and technology may now be linked.
***
Mike Murphy
I'm a politically incorrect, amateur sci-fi writer with zero publications to date. I'm also an unrepentant veteran of the US Navy and fan of Peter Park's marriage to Mary Jane.
English (US) · 