Lego is adding a digital upgrade to its iconic plastic bricks, but the move is drawing mixed reactions. At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, the Danish toy maker unveiled “Smart Bricks,” small sensor-filled blocks that can light up, make sounds, and react to movement. According to the BBC, the new system will debut in March with a Star Wars-themed set.
Lego describes its Smart Play system as its most significant innovation in nearly 50 years, saying it blends physical building with digital features while still preserving hands-on play. The company says the technology is designed to enhance creativity rather than replace traditional building.
Not everyone is convinced. Some child development advocates worry the technology could take away from what made Lego popular in the first place. Josh Golin, executive director of the nonprofit Fairplay, argues that children already bring Lego creations to life through imagination alone. By embedding sensors and pre-programmed responses into the bricks, he says, Lego risks shifting creative control from kids to the technology itself.
The Smart Play system extends beyond the bricks. Lego is also introducing “Smart Minifigures” and “Smart Tags,” each carrying digital identifiers. These elements are connected through a wireless network called BrickNet, according to Engadget, allowing different components to interact with one another. In demonstrations, a Lego cake recognized when its candles were “blown out” and played a birthday song, while a helicopter lit up and made sound effects when it crashed, the BBC reported.
Experts are divided rather than outright opposed. Andrew Manches, a professor specializing in children and technology at the University of Edinburgh, praised Lego’s effort to more closely link digital and physical play. At the same time, he cautioned that the enduring appeal of Lego lies in the open-ended freedom of simple bricks. Other researchers have raised broader concerns about smart toys, including privacy, data security, and the increasing role of artificial intelligence in children’s products.
Lego has already explored digital experiences through augmented reality and partnerships with companies like Nintendo and Epic Games. In its latest annual report, the company emphasized that digital technology is now a key strategic priority. Two reporters who tested the Smart Bricks firsthand shared their impressions after spending time building and playing with the new system.