Effects of AI Companions on Youth

How Are Kids and Teens Using AI Companions?

Most of the time, young people use ChatGPT and other AI chatbots to help them through real-life situations. They may talk through a tough conversation or confide in AI when they feel uncomfortable bringing up a topic with an adult.

AI chatbots can make teens feel like they’re talking to a friend, even if there’s no human on the other side of the screen. Some teens even talk to them like a romantic partner. This can be harmful behavior, as these situations can make them feel like they’re in a relationship or making a genuine connection with the AI.

Additionally, some teens want to talk with a fictional character they’ve seen in a show or read about in a book. AI models like Character.ai talk like those characters and make kids feel like they’re interacting with their favorite characters.

Although these interactions are often innocent, they should be monitored to ensure they remain appropriate and do not harm the adolescent’s mental health.

How Many Kids Are Using AI?

Data from Pew Research shows 64% of teens aged 13 to 17 use AI chatbots. The same study showed that about 30% of teens use chatbots daily.

Based on a College Board research study, most teens use AI to:

• Check their work
• Ask a question
• Search for information
• Get a recommendation

When kids search, 59% say they go to ChatGPT. Less than half that amount uses Gemini or Meta AI, and even fewer go to Character.ai. Before your teen starts talking to a chatbot, you should understand the risks and benefits of AI companions for kids.

What Are the Risks of AI Companions for Adolescents?

AI companions are trained by human input. Anything your child says to them can be used to train the AI, and there aren’t many regulations to keep them safe.

If your child uses AI, you should watch out for:

• Responses to mental health queries: AI isn’t designed to handle mental health crises, give mental health advice, or help with long-term, serious mental health situations. AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, have given harmful responses when teens talk to them about their mental health struggles and have even encouraged self-harm or suicidal behaviors.
• Unhealthy relationships: AI companions can lead teens to depend on them and expect real people to act the same as their AI companion. They can develop unrealistic expectations of others, leading unhealthy boundaries and interactions.
• False information and risky advice: AI chatbots make it easy to spread misinformation, especially if you don’t question their responses. A study led by the European Broadcasting Union and the BBC found that, on average, 45% of AI answers are incorrect.
• Inappropriate responses: AI platforms don’t verify your age when you use them. They can expose kids to explicit, violent, sexual, and other inappropriate content.
• Privacy risks: If you feel safe talking to AI, you’re more likely to tell it personal details, like your location and medical information. AI chatbots aren’t secure. They can share, sell, or use your information to train the AI.

The social effects of AI chatbots on youth can also lead to struggles with making friends and talking to others. If your child uses an AI companion, it shouldn’t be their main source of connection.

What Are the Potential Benefits of AI Companions for Adolescents?

The benefits of AI chatbots may not outweigh the risks of AI on child’s mental health. However, it can sometimes help teens work through human situations such as:

• Social interactions: If teens don’t know how to start a conversation or need help with a tense topic, they may want to practice with AI. Still, there’s a difference between practice and replacing real conversations with AI companions.
• Loneliness: Not everyone has a group of friends or a trusted family. AI companions are there when teens need someone to talk to and can help them feel less lonely for a short time.
• Hard questions: AI doesn’t know you personally, so it doesn’t base its answers on its opinion of you or your experiences. It can give teens space to talk without feeling afraid of social consequences.
• Temporary emotional support: An AI companion can help you calm down and offer tools like breathing or sensory techniques.

AI chatbots are best used in moderation. The link between artificial intelligence and a teen’s mental health can lead to serious consequences if teens don’t have outside resources for help. If your teen does use an AI companion, it should focus on helping them navigate the world outside their screen.

How Is Talking to an AI Companion Different Than Talking to Friends or Family?

AI companions lack the qualities of a healthy person-to-person relationship. When you talk with friends and family, you share mutual care for each other. It involves empathy, understanding, and growth.

AI companions are programmed to sound like they care about you. They tell you what you want to hear without challenging you to think about their answers. With an AI, you’re always the one leading the conversation. While that can feel like non-judgmental support, it also doesn’t replicate the way real conversations and relationships work.

Human friendships are mutual relationships. You fulfill each other’s needs, offer in-person support, and experience life away from the screen. AI can’t do those things, and overusing it can make in-person interactions harder by offering limited perspective and engagement.

How to Talk to Your Child About AI Use

It’s best to talk to your child before their AI use becomes a problem. Talking about it will help your child understand how to safely use AI, if they choose to. Start the conversation by:

• Setting the tone: Instead of a lecture, open with curiosity. Talk about what your child already knows about AI or explore AI together.
• Keeping an open mind: Encourage your child to think for themself. Look at the possible benefits and risks of AI and talk about safety precautions.
• Involving your child in making rules: Talk about when and how your child can use AI. Work with them to set boundaries on how to use it. If your child feels the rules are fair, they’re more likely to stick to them.
• Encouraging real-life relationships: Make space for your child to talk to you. Involve them in real-world activities, like arts, sports, and family time. Let your child know they can come to you with questions and problems around their AI use and real-life struggles.

You can’t control every space your child is in. Instead, let them know they can trust you and talk to you when they need help. Not everyone will have the same rules around AI use, but you get to decide what AI use looks like in your home.

Tips to Ensure AI Is Being Used Safely if Your Teen Already Has an AI Companion

If your teen has an AI companion, meet your teen where they are and learn how they’re currently using AI. Seeing their AI companion the way they see it will give you a starting point.

Talk to them about their human relationships versus the one they have with their AI chatbot. Make sure they know the difference between the two (and that human relationships should come first).

If you think your child is using AI too much, look for signs like:

• Pulling back from social interactions
• Spending more time with AI companions than real people
• Changes in their behavior, grades, or participation in activities they usually enjoy

It’s normal to worry about how your child uses AI and the impact of AI companions on teenagers. You can talk to them about privacy concerns to find out if they’re being safe. Or try asking questions that encourage them to think critically, like, “Where do you think the AI got that answer for you?” Teaching your child to think for themselves and turn to people they trust can help them avoid relying on AI in unsafe ways.

Next Steps to Stay Safe With AI Companions

Instead of trying to prevent your child from using AI, learn about AI companions and youth development to make sure they use it safely. Talk about how your child wants to use AI companions and how they impact mental health.

If you want them to build relationships with other people, help them get there, and show them what healthy relationships and boundaries look like. Then, they’ll feel less like they need to rely on AI and more comfortable approaching difficult topics with you and others in their life.