Hasbro’s AI play involves an AI-generated Mr. Potato Head voiced by Don Rickles

The century-old toymaker is mining its character and game trove for AI revenue opportunities. Guardrails are key, CEO Chris Cocks says. Executives spend so much time these days worrying about the businesses AI might destroy that we can overlook the new businesses it will create. Here’s one from Hasbro: Mr. Potato Head, voiced by the late Don Rickles, answering your customer-service calls. The toy and game giant is building a business to license AI versions of its iconic characters, CEO Chris Cocks said on Semafor’s Compound Interest. Hasbro launched its Sixth Wall AI studio in June to mine its 166-year history of IP. Cocks said the company is negotiating with a major cellphone carrier to have a Trivial Pursuit quiz show, voiced by an AI-generated LeVar Burton, replace customer-support hold music. “We’ll serve as the kind of talent agents and creative directors for what the characters do,” Cocks said. “Then it’s up to another platform to express it.” (Liz wants a Megatron option for Alexa; Cocks noted the “Transformers” character is already serving as the AI-powered, and occasionally judgmental, deejay at Hasbro’s Rhode Island headquarters.) Cocks compared the proliferation of AI to