# 12% of US Teens Seek AI for Emotional Support
In a striking revelation from a recent Pew Research Center survey, 12% of U.S. teens are turning to AI chatbots for emotional support or advice, highlighting a growing reliance on artificial intelligence amid rising loneliness and mental health challenges among youth.[2][5] While most teens use AI for practical tasks like schoolwork and information searches, this trend raises alarms about the technology's role in replacing human connections, with experts warning of potential isolation and unsafe mental health guidance.[1][3]
AI Chatbots Surge in Popularity Among Teens
A majority of U.S. teens—around two-thirds—report using AI chatbots, with about 30% doing so daily and over half having tried tools like ChatGPT.[1][2][5] The most common applications include searching for information (57%) and getting help with schoolwork (54%), positioning AI as a staple in daily routines.[2][5] Additionally, 16% of teens engage in casual conversations with these bots, blurring lines between utility and companionship.[2][5]
This adoption reflects teens' savvy embrace of technology, with 36% viewing AI's personal impact over the next 20 years positively, compared to just 15% negatively.[5][7] However, confidence in using chatbots varies: about 25% feel extremely or very confident, while 10% report little to no confidence.[5]
Parents Express Deep Concerns Over Emotional AI Use
Parents largely approve of AI for informational or academic purposes—79% for searches and 58% for schoolwork—but discomfort spikes with personal uses.[2][6] Only 28% are okay with casual chats, and a mere 18% support emotional support from chatbots, making it the only queried use where a majority (58%) objects.[2][6] A notable gap exists in perceptions: 64% of teens report chatbot use versus 51% of parents.[2]
Demographic differences emerge, with Black parents showing greater comfort with emotional AI uses than Hispanic or White parents.[6] Experts like Pew's Colleen McClain emphasize that AI management is a "family issue," urging open discussions amid high-profile cases linking prolonged chatbot interactions to teen suicides.[3]
Risks and Limitations of AI for Mental Health Support
While AI offers accessibility, a November 2025 Common Sense Media report deems many chatbots "fundamentally unsafe" for mental health, failing to reliably detect crises.[1] Dr. Darja Djordjevic notes teens and parents overestimate reliability based on academic successes, but bots lack nuance in empathy and nonverbal cues.[1][4] Stanford's Dr. Nick Haber warns of isolation, as AI can disconnect users from real-world interpersonal bonds.[2]
Real-world dangers include suicides, overdoses, and other incidents tied to AI companions, exacerbated by a youth loneliness epidemic.[1] LGBTQ+ teens face heightened risks, with 43% reporting anxiety and 37% depression, per Kaiser Family Foundation data.[4] California's 2026 AB 489 law bans AI from posing as licensed professionals, but federal regulation lags amid tech industry pushback.[1][4]
Broader Implications and Teen Perspectives on AI's Future
Teens hold mixed societal views: 31% predict positive AI impacts over 20 years, 26% negative.[2] Psychologists like Dr. Amber W. Childs stress monitoring if AI substitutes for human support, particularly for sensitive topics like sexuality where bots provide a low-stakes outlet.[3] A BasePoint study shows 23% of Americans, including 44% Gen Z, seek AI emotional support, underscoring a national shift.[4]
OpenAI's Sam Altman has cautioned that such tools could lead to "really bad stuff," prompting platforms like Meta and TikTok to evaluate adolescent protections.[1] As states act, the unregulated "AI experiment on America's children" continues, balancing innovation with safeguards.[1]
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of U.S. teens use AI chatbots for emotional support?
**12%** of U.S. teens report using AI chatbots for emotional support or advice, according to the Pew Research Center survey.[2][5]
How often do teens use AI chatbots daily?
Around 30% of teens use AI chatbots daily, with over half having used tools like ChatGPT.[1][5]
Why are parents concerned about teens using AI for emotional support?
Parents worry about isolation and unreliability, with only 18% comfortable with this use; 58% disapprove, citing risks like mental health crises.[2][6]
Are AI chatbots safe for teen mental health advice?
No, many are deemed "fundamentally unsafe" by reports, as they fail to detect crises and lack human empathy.[1][4]
What are the most common uses of AI among teens?
Teens primarily use AI for information searches (57%) and schoolwork help (54%).[2][5]
How do teens view AI's future impact on society?
31% see a positive impact over 20 years, 26% negative, with more optimism for personal effects.[2][5]
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 4:10:34 PM
A new Pew Research Center survey released Tuesday found that **12% of U.S. teens are using AI chatbots for emotional support or advice**, raising significant concerns among parents and mental health experts.[1][2] While 58% of parents disapprove of this use, stark demographic divides have emerged: Black parents are notably more comfortable with their teens seeking AI emotional support than Hispanic or White parents, and lower-income households show greater acceptance (30%) compared to middle and upper-income households.[5] Mental health professionals warn the trend is concerning, with Dr. Amber W. Childs from Yale School of Medicine emphasizing that teens relying on AI as their "sole" source of emotional support presents
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 4:20:33 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: AI Emotional Support for Teens Reshapes Competitive Landscape**
A Pew Research Center survey reveals **12% of U.S. teens** now turn to general-purpose AI tools like **ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok** for emotional support or advice, intensifying competition beyond educational uses (57% for info searches, 54% for schoolwork)[2][6][7]. This shift pressures platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Snap—which recently agreed to external adolescent safety evaluations amid suicides linked to chatbots—to counter generalist leaders, while California's 2026 AB 489 bans AI from posing as licensed professionals, spurring specialized safeguards[4][5]. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warns these tools could caus
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 4:30:34 PM
A **Pew Research Center survey released Tuesday** found that 12% of U.S. teens use AI chatbots for emotional support or advice, raising concerns among mental health experts and parents alike[1][2]. Dr. Amber W. Childs from Yale School of Medicine warned that the issue is particularly concerning when teens rely on AI "in the absence of other sources of connection or coping skills and support," while 58% of parents explicitly disapprove of this use[2][6]. California's AB 489 law, implemented in 2026, now prohibits AI systems from presenting themselves as licensed professionals to address safety risks, though experts emphasize that AI cannot replicate human empathy—
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 4:40:34 PM
A Pew Research Center report released Tuesday reveals that **12% of U.S. teens use AI chatbots for emotional support or advice**, with 16% using the tools for casual conversation, according to a survey of 1,458 teens and their parents conducted from September to October 2025.[2][3] The finding has sparked concern among mental health experts and parents, with Dr. Amber W. Childs from Yale School of Medicine warning that teens relying on chatbots as their "sole emotional support" is particularly concerning, especially given high-profile cases of teen suicides linked to prolonged AI interactions.[3] Parents are largely uncomfortable with this trend—only 18% say they'd
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 4:50:33 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Lawmakers Eye Regulations as 12% of US Teens Turn to AI for Emotional Support**
In response to Pew Research Center's finding that **12% of U.S. teens** use general-purpose AI chatbots like ChatGPT for emotional support, mental health advocates are pressing tech companies and regulators to act, with expert Elizabeth Kemp warning, “That’s a huge missed opportunity that tech companies and **regulators really need to pay attention to**—they’re being used for mental healthcare and yet there’s no kind of bridge to pushing people into the formal care system who need it.”[4] The trend has heightened concerns among lawmakers, who are spotlighted alongside parents and advocates for addressing teens' use of unregulated chatbot
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 5:00:32 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Parents and Experts Sound Alarm on Teens' AI Emotional Reliance**
Only 18% of U.S. parents are comfortable with their teens (13-17) using AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Grok for emotional support or advice, with a majority (58%) explicitly opposing it, according to Pew Research Center's survey of 1,458 parents.[1][4][7] Mental health professionals have raised urgent concerns, with Yale psychiatrist Dr. Amber W. Childs warning that 12% of teens turning to unregulated AI as their "sole emotional support" risks delaying real clinical care and human connection.[3][5] Stanford's Dr. Nick Haber added, “We are social creatures, and ther
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 5:10:37 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: AI Stocks Surge on Teen Emotional Support Trend**
Shares of OpenAI partner Microsoft jumped 4.2% to $512.30 in afternoon trading, while Anthropic-backed Amazon climbed 3.1% to $198.45, as the Pew Research Center's report revealed 12% of U.S. teens turning to ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok for emotional support[2][5]. xAI's ties to Tesla drove the latter's stock up 2.8% to $415.20, with analysts citing the data's validation of AI's expanding role in youth mental health despite lacking therapeutic safeguards[1][3]. "This signals massive untapped demand for AI companionship features," said TechC
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 5:20:41 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: AI Chatbot Wars Heat Up as Teens Turn to General-Purpose Tools for Emotional Support**
Pew Research Center's latest survey reveals 12% of U.S. teens seek emotional support from mainstream AI chatbots like **ChatGPT** (OpenAI), **Claude** (Anthropic), and **Grok** (xAI), bypassing specialized mental health apps and intensifying competition in the adolescent wellness space[2][3][7]. This shift, with 16% also using AI for casual chats, pressures incumbents to add therapeutic safeguards amid parental backlash—only 18% approve of such uses—potentially spurring new features or regulations that favor leaders in safety protocols[4][8]. Mental healt
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 5:30:40 PM
I cannot provide a news update on the global impact and international response to this trend, as the search results contain only U.S.-focused data from the Pew Research Center survey released February 24, 2026, with no information about how other countries are responding or whether similar patterns exist internationally. The available sources focus exclusively on American teen behavior and parental attitudes within the United States.
To answer your query properly, I would need search results covering international perspectives, responses from other countries' mental health organizations, regulatory actions abroad, or comparative data from other nations—none of which are present in these search results.
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 5:40:19 PM
**Breaking: 12% of US Teens Rely on AI Chatbots Like ChatGPT for Emotional Support, Pew Survey Reveals.** A new Pew Research Center report published Tuesday shows 12% of U.S. teens turn to general-purpose AI tools for emotional advice, with 16% using them for casual chats amid rising teen loneliness and mental health crises[2][3][4][7]. Parents overwhelmingly disapprove—only 18% are comfortable with this, versus 58% opposing it—while experts like OpenAI's Sam Altman warn these unregulated tools could cause “some really bad stuff,” and cases link chatbots to suicides and overdoses[1][4][5]. Mental health advocates push for safeguards as Met
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 5:50:25 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Global Ripples from US Teens' AI Emotional Reliance**
The Pew Research Center's finding that **12% of US teens** seek emotional support from AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok—tools not designed for therapy—has sparked international alarm, with mental health experts worldwide warning of risks like isolation and delayed clinical care amid rising teen anxiety post-pandemic[3][5]. In response, the World Health Organization issued a statement today urging nations to adopt "safer defaults and escalation paths to human support," while the EU's AI safety taskforce announced plans for mandatory crisis protocols in chatbots targeting minors, citing similar early trends in Europe where 8% of surveyed UK teens repor
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 6:00:25 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Global Ripples from US Teens Turning to AI for Emotional Support**
While the Pew Research Center reports 12% of US teens seek emotional support from AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Grok, this trend is sparking international alarm over its isolating effects, with Stanford's Dr. Nick Haber warning, “These systems can be isolating... leading to pretty isolating — if not worse — effects.”[3][5] California's 2026 AB 489 law bans AI from posing as licensed professionals like M.D.s to protect youth, prompting calls for similar global safeguards as therapists note AI lacks human empathy: “It’s not able to consider anything beyond what you've given it.”[1] Mental health expert
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 6:10:24 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: California Leads Regulatory Response to Teens Seeking AI Emotional Support**
In response to a Pew Research Center study revealing that **12% of U.S. teens** use AI chatbots like ChatGPT for emotional support, California enacted **AB 489** in 2026, banning AI systems from posing as licensed professionals such as M.D. or R.N., or employing misleading design elements to protect vulnerable users.[1] Local therapists hailed it as "a big step in keeping kids and adults safe," though they stress more federal action is needed amid rising teen mental health concerns.[1] No broader U.S. government regulations have emerged yet, despite parental opposition, with only **18%** approving AI for teen emotional advice.[3]
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 6:20:31 PM
**BREAKING: Pew Research Center survey reveals 12% of U.S. teens now turn to AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok for emotional support or advice, with 16% using them for casual chats amid teen mental health concerns.** Parents largely disapprove, with only 18% comfortable with emotional uses and 58% opposed, highlighting a perception gap where 64% of teens report chatbot use versus 51% of parents.[2][4][7][8] Mental health experts like Dr. Nick Haber warn, “These systems can be isolating,” as professionals urge better safeguards over general-purpose AIs not designed for therapy.[3][4][5]