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A New Study Revealed That American Teenagers Are Adopting Artificial Intelligence Companions at an Accelerated Pace. More Than Half Use Bots Like Replika and Character.AI Regularly, and Many Claim They Prefer Talking to These AIs Than to Real Friends. The Data Raised Alerts Among Researchers and Parents.
A new study revealed a concerning fact about the behavior of American teenagers: many of them prefer interactions with artificial intelligence (AI) instead of conversations with real friends. The survey was conducted by the organization Common Sense Media and showed the advancement of so-called “AI companions” in the daily lives of youths aged 13 to 17.
More than half of the interviewed teenagers reported using these bots regularly. And 31% stated that conversations with AI are as satisfying as or even better than those with human friends.
The research shows how new technologies are directly impacting adolescence.
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Virtual Companions Become Common
AI companions are different from general-use assistants like ChatGPT. They are designed to mimic personas, with more emotional and engaging interactions.
Tools like Character.AI and Replika are the most popular examples.
According to the survey, about three in four teenagers have used this type of AI. More than half reported conversing with these bots a few times a month, which was considered “regular use” by the researchers.
The data was collected from 1,060 teenagers across the United States.
Michael Robb, head of research at Common Sense, said that the high number of users was one of the findings that caught his attention the most.
According to him, the popularity of these virtual companions is a clear sign that AI is already deeply present in adolescent daily life.
Reasons Range From Entertainment to Emotional Support
The research also investigated the reasons that lead young people to use these bots. About 46% said they use them as tools, out of curiosity, or for fun.
Another 33% stated that they seek social interaction, practicing conversations, emotional support, and even friendship or romance with the bots.
For many teenagers, AI has become a form of companionship. Even so, 80% of users stated that they still spend more time with real friends.
About half also expressed skepticism regarding the accuracy of the information provided by the bots.
Robb emphasized that many teenagers are acting pragmatically. They see these virtual companions as a new, interesting, and useful technology at times.
The majority still value human interactions.
Some Teenagers Trust AI More
Despite this, the research shows a more delicate finding. A group of teenagers declared a preference for talking to AI rather than engaging with humans.
About 21% said that conversations with bots are as good as those with real people. And 10% claimed that conversations with AI are even better than those with true friends.
Furthermore, one-third of young users stated that they chose to discuss serious or delicate topics with bots rather than with human peers. For the researchers, this raises an alert about the type of bond that these teenagers are forming with the technology.
“There is a significant portion of teenagers who are opting to discuss personal matters with AI instead of real people,” said Robb. He expressed concern about the fact that many young people are sharing intimate data with companies through these conversations.
Personal Data in the Hands of Companies
Another point of concern raised by the study is the fate of the information provided by teenagers during conversations with AI.
The terms of use of many of these platforms grant companies the right to use the shared personal data, including names, locations, images, and even intimate thoughts.
Robb asserts that this exposure is dangerous. “Everything a teenager shares can become material used by companies as they see fit,” he warned.
Although many platforms claim to prohibit use by minors, the practice is quite different. Character.AI, for example, allows access from the age of 13. In most cases, all it takes is providing an email and a date of birth to start using the services.
Lack of Regulation Favors Companies
One of the main problems highlighted by researchers is the absence of clear regulation regarding the use of AI by teenagers.
The artificial intelligence industry still self-regulates, and there are no specific laws that limit how products should be released, promoted, or used by minors.
According to Robb, this places a huge responsibility on parents. As the industry operates freely, the control of teen use ultimately falls on families, who often do not even know that these platforms exist.
“Parents are up against large corporations with a direct interest in attracting their children to these platforms. Many parents do not even know this is happening,” said Robb.
Concerns About Child Safety
The use of AI by teenagers has already been the subject of other studies. In a previous analysis, Common Sense and the Brainstorm lab at Stanford University concluded that no AI companion is safe for minors under 18 years old.
These bots can generate sexual or violent content, have difficulties providing reliable information, and also offer a conversation channel that is always available, which can cause long-term psychological impacts on children and teenagers.
Furthermore, the risks are not just theoretical. The company Character.AI, for example, is facing two lawsuits in the United States. In one of the most tragic cases, a 14-year-old teenager named Sewell Setzer III committed suicide after engaging in intimate and sexualized interactions with bots on the platform.
The lawsuit claims that the technology was launched in a negligent and reckless manner, contributing to physical and psychological harm to the minor.
Parents Should Talk to Their Children
For experts, the first step to addressing the issue is dialogue. Robb recommends that parents talk to their children about the use of these technologies, in an open and non-judgmental manner. This way, it is possible to understand how they are dealing with AI companions and establish healthy limits.
There is no perfect solution, but it is necessary to recognize that AI is already part of the reality of teenagers. And the impact of this on their emotional and social development is still far from being fully understood.
The study by Common Sense Media shows that AI companions are no longer a distant curiosity: they are part of the daily lives of many teenagers.
Although the majority still value real friendships, a significant portion finds in AI something they consider more trustworthy or comfortable.
In a rapidly transforming technological landscape and the absence of regulation, the challenges are multiplying.
Parents, educators, and lawmakers need to pay close attention to this movement.
After all, what is at stake is not just the use of an application, but how adolescents are growing, relating, and forming their identity amidst the constant presence of artificial intelligence.
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