Millions of teenagers are bypassing parents, teachers, and friends to share their deepest secrets, anxieties, and relationship questions with artificial intelligence. A new study reveals that 72% of teenagers have interacted with an AI companion at least once, with more than half checking in multiple times a month.

Concerns About Social Development

Mental health professionals, such as Dr. Michael Salas, a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, are raising flags about the trend. According to Salas, the primary issue isn’t immediate danger, but rather how AI alters social development. Teenagers are turning to software during a critical life stage when they are supposed to be learning how to navigate real-world awkwardness, conflict, rejection, and vulnerability.

“AI can feel like the perfect listener to a teenager,” Salas said. “It responds right away, it does not look disappointed, and it does not tell them to calm down or stop being dramatic. For a teen who feels embarrassed or misunderstood, that can feel safer than talking to a parent.” However, that instant validation has a distinct downside if it begins to push out real human interactions.

Parental Guidance

For parents who discover their children are relying on chatbots, Salas advises against immediate panic or punishment. “If a parent discovers their teen is talking to AI, the first response should not be, ‘Why are you doing this?’ It should be, ‘What does it give you that feels hard to get from people right now?’ That question opens the door instead of closing it,” Salas said.

Experts urge parents to monitor for three specific warning signs: when a teen actively replaces real-life friends or family with AI, if the teen becomes secretive, distressed, or emotionally dependent on the chatbot, or if AI becomes the primary source of guidance for heavy issues involving safety, sex, self-harm, trauma, or major life choices.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.