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A whopping 72% of teens have tried talking to an AI companion, and 52% do so regularly, according to a new survey. But don't worry (yet): The overwhelming majority still prefer in-person friendships.
Common Sense Media, a nonprofit focused on online safety for families, asked 1,060 "nationally representative" teens how and why they are using AI. The questions focused on AI "companions," defined as "digital friends or characters you can text or talk with whenever you want...designed to have conversations that feel personal and meaningful."
(Credit: Common Sense Media)These AI systems can be more addictive and influence teens' perspectives. One Florida teen took his life after a bot on Character.AI encouraged him to do it, according to a lawsuit filed by his parents. The tech industry wants us to talk to AI systems as much as possible, too. Elon Musk's Grok chatbot just added AI companions, including sexual ones. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he is working toward a future where most of our friends are AI.
"Despite the relative novelty of AI companions in the digital landscape, their dangers to young users are real, serious, and well documented," the report says. "Current research indicates that AI companions are designed to be particularly engaging through sycophancy, meaning a tendency to agree with users and provide validation, rather than challenging their thinking."
(Credit: Common Sense Media)Most teens talk to AI companions for entertainment (30%) and out of curiosity (28%), but many turn to them for advice (18%), say they're always available (17%), and are nonjudgmental (14%). Some feel they are easier to talk to than real people, and they can say things they wouldn't normally tell their friends and family. Sadly, 6% say they turn to them out of loneliness.
The practical applications of teens talking to these "social" AI systems is limited, Common Sense Media says. Most of them (60%) are not doing it to practice their social skills.
Many still have major misgivings about AI companions. Over a third (34%) say they have felt "uncomfortable with something an AI companion has said or done." Half don't trust the information they dispense. That might be why 67% find the conversations less satisfying than human chats—but 21% rank them about the same, and 10% say their conversations with AI are more satisfying.
(Credit: Common Sense Media)A third of teens also say they have chosen to talk to an AI instead of a human about a serious topic. Across all these statistics, the trend seems to be that about a quarter to a third of teens are having fulfilling conversations with AIs that they may prefer over a human, but a strong majority are still not finding them preferable to their friends and family.
Even if some teens are enjoying their AI companions, a strong 80% still say they prioritize interactions with their human friends. That could be because they spend most of their day at school or doing activities, but 13% say they spend more time with AI than human pals. Common Sense Media finds the results both "optimistic and pessimistic" about the future impact of the technology on teens.
"While nearly three in four teens have used AI companions, the data reveals that most approach these tools pragmatically, rather than as substitutes for human relationships," the nonprofit says. "The majority view AI companions as tools or programs, use them primarily for entertainment and out of curiosity, and maintain a healthy skepticism about the information they provide."
At the same time, some results warrant "immediate attention," especially because over a third have had an uncomfortable interaction with AI. More parental oversight and transparency could help. Following the teen suicide, Character.AI added a Parental Insights feature to help them understand what their kids are doing on the site.
Common Sense also urges tech companies to "stop AI companions from claiming professional credentials or therapeutic training" and to "support beneficial AI companion features that enhance rather than replace human connection, such as conversation practice for social anxiety, language learning support, or creative brainstorming tools with clear usage boundaries."