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Toys 'R' Us AI-generated ad sparks fear, fascination

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Toys 'R' Us AI-generated ad sparks fear, fascination

Remember the days of walking into a Toys “R” Us store? The endless aisles of toys, the excitement of spotting the latest must-have item and the towering presence of Geoffrey the Giraffe?

Well, the iconic toy retailer is back, and it’s not just reopening stores. It’s embracing cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to tell its origin story in a way that’s as innovative as it is nostalgic.

Toys “R” Us AI-generated film (Toys “R” Us Studios)

The Power of AI: Introducing Sora

In a move that’s turning heads in both the marketing and tech worlds, Toys “R” Us has partnered with creative agency Native Foreign to create a groundbreaking brand film. But this isn’t your average promotional video. It’s been crafted using OpenAI’s Sora, a text-to-video AI tool that’s pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in content creation.

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Sora is a technological innovation capable of generating up to one-minute-long videos featuring realistic scenes and multiple characters, all from text instructions. It’s like having an entire film studio at your fingertips, ready to bring your wildest ideas to life with just a few well-chosen words.

Toys “R” Us AI-generated film (Toys “R” Us Studios)

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The story of Toys ‘R’ Us founder Charles Lazarus

The 66-second promo takes us on a journey back to the 1930s, following young Charles Lazarus, the visionary founder of Toys “R” Us. We’re transported to an old-time bicycle shop, where we see Lazarus dreaming of transforming the toy industry. As he drifts off to sleep, the video seamlessly transitions into a magical dreamscape filled with toys of all shapes and sizes, presided over by the beloved mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe.

It’s a clever narrative device that not only tells the Toys “R” Us origin story but also captures the childlike wonder and imagination that the brand has always represented. By blending historical elements with fantastical imagery, the video manages to appeal to both nostalgic adults and wide-eyed children.

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Toys “R” Us AI-generated film (Toys “R” Us Studios)

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The making of the AI-generated film

Creating this film was no simple task, despite the advanced capabilities of Sora. The team at Native Foreign, led by chief creative officer Nik Kleverov, wrote lengthy, detailed prompts for each scene. They had to carefully balance historical accuracy with modern appeal, ensuring that early scenes captured the essence of the 1920s and 1930s while later dreamscape sequences felt contemporary enough to resonate with today’s young audiences.

This meticulous attention to detail highlights an important point: while AI tools like Sora are incredibly powerful, they still require skilled human guidance to produce truly compelling content. The technology may be new, but the art of storytelling remains a fundamental human endeavor.

Toys “R” Us AI-generated film (Toys “R” Us Studios)

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The rebirth of a retail toy giant

This innovative video project is more than just a technological showcase; it’s part of a broader turnaround plan for Toys “R” Us. After filing for bankruptcy in 2018 and closing its stores, many thought the beloved brand was gone for good. But in 2021, Toys “R” Us was acquired by WHP Global, a firm specializing in managing and expanding retail companies.

Now, Toys “R” Us is making a comeback that’s as much about reimagining the brand for the 21st century as it is about rekindling nostalgia. They’ve opened new flagship stores in high-profile locations like Minnesota’s Mall of America and New Jersey’s American Dream Mall. Perhaps most significantly, they’ve partnered with Macy’s to open Toys “R” Us sections in every Macy’s location across the United States.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

This multipronged approach – combining innovative marketing, strategic partnerships and a carefully curated retail presence – demonstrates the brand’s commitment to remaining relevant in an ever-changing retail landscape.

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Toys “R” Us AI-generated film (Toys “R” Us Studios)

Mixed reactions to Toys ‘R’ Us AI-generated film

As with any technology, the AI-generated film has sparked diverse reactions on social media. Some viewers have praised it as an innovative and creative way to tell stories that would be difficult or impossible to capture through traditional filmmaking methods. They see it as an exciting glimpse into the future of content creation, where imagination is the only limit.

Others, however, have expressed reservations. Some found the AI-generated characters “creepy,” falling into the infamous “uncanny valley” where digital renderings of humans are close to realistic but just off enough to be unsettling. Others noticed inconsistencies in the AI-generated images, highlighting the current limitations of the technology.

These mixed reactions underscore the ongoing challenges and opportunities in AI-generated content. As the technology continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how creators address these issues and refine their techniques.

Toys “R” Us AI-generated film  (Toys “R” Us Studios)

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The broader implications: AI in marketing and beyond

The Toys “R” Us AI-generated brand film represents more than just a single company’s marketing strategy: It’s a significant milestone in the evolving landscape of content creation and brand storytelling.

As AI tools like Sora become more sophisticated and widely available, we will likely see an increase in AI-generated content across various industries. This could democratize content creation, allowing smaller brands and creators to produce high-quality visual content at a fraction of the traditional cost.

However, it also raises important questions about the future of creative industries. Will AI-generated content supplement or replace human-created work? How will we navigate issues of copyright and intellectual property in an age where any image or scene can be conjured from a text prompt? And how will audiences’ expectations and perceptions of visual media evolve as AI-generated content becomes more commonplace?

Toys “R” Us AI-generated film (Toys “R” Us Studios)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

The Toys “R” Us AI-generated brand film represents a bold step into a new frontier of marketing, one where the lines between human creativity and artificial intelligence are increasingly blurred. As we move forward, it will be fascinating to see how brands balance the efficiency and innovation of AI with the human touch that connects with audiences on an emotional level. The most successful campaigns are likely to be those that use AI as a tool to enhance and amplify human creativity, rather than replace it entirely.

One thing’s for sure, whether you’re excited or skeptical about AI in marketing, this project has certainly got people talking. And for a brand looking to recapture the public’s imagination after a period of uncertainty, that might be the most valuable outcome of all.

What do you think about AI-generated content like this Toys “R” Us video? Do you embrace it or have reservations about its impact on creative industries? Let us know in the comments below. Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.

There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:

The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.

That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).

While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.

They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.

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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What you need to know about fake AI extensions

Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.

Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.

These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.

While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:

  • AI Assistant
  • Llama
  • Gemini AI Sidebar
  • AI Sidebar
  • ChatGPT Sidebar
  • Grok
  • Asking ChatGPT
  • ChatGBT
  • Chat Bot GPT
  • Grok Chatbot
  • Chat With Gemini
  • XAI
  • Google Gemini
  • Ask Gemini
  • AI Letter Generator
  • AI Message Generator
  • AI Translator
  • AI For Translation
  • AI Cover Letter Generator
  • AI Image Generator ChatGPT
  • Ai Wallpaper Generator
  • Ai Picture Generator
  • DeepSeek Download
  • AI Email Writer
  • Email Generator AI
  • DeepSeek Chat
  • ChatGPT Picture Generator
  • ChatGPT Translate
  • AI GPT
  • ChatGPT Translation
  • ChatGPT for Gmail

FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE

These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)

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How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works

These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.

Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.

In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.

The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.

Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.

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If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.

We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”

BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK

Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions

If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.

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1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions

On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.

2) Change your passwords

If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.

3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords

A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active

Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

5) Use an identity theft protection service

Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

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6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated

Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.

7) Use a personal data removal service

Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.

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Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.

It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.

In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”

He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)

The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.

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Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”

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