72% Of U.s. Teens Have Used Ai Companions, Study Finds

Hopefully not Grok’s companions…

A caller study by a U.S. nonprofit focused connected nan lives of kids and families, Common Sense Media, has recovered that a immense mostly of U.S. teens (72%) person tried an AI companion astatine slightest once. By “companion,” nan study is focused connected AI chatbots that are designed for users to person much individual conversations with, not AI assistants that activity arsenic homework helpers, image generators, aliases sound assistants that conscionable reply questions.

For instance, nan study’s meaning of AI companions could see those integer AI personas provided by companies for illustration Character.AI aliases Replika, but it could besides encompass nan usage of general-purpose chatbots for illustration ChatGPT aliases Claude, which tin beryllium utilized for much individual conversations, if desired.

The thought of chatting pinch an AI seems to beryllium appealing to U.S. teens (ages 13 to 17), nan study found, arsenic not only had astir three-quarters tried an AI companion, 52% said they are regular users. Among those who engaged pinch these companions regularly, 13% chat pinch them regular and 21% chat a fewer times a week.

Boys (31%) were besides somewhat much apt than girls (25%) to opportunity they had ne'er utilized an AI companion, among nan 1-in-4 teens who said they person ne'er tried it.

The findings are based connected a study that ran during April and May 2025, and utilized a typical sample of 1,060 teens and was conducted by researchers from NORC astatine nan University of Chicago. There person already been concerns astir AI’s effect connected teens’ well-being, arsenic 1 firm, Character.AI, is being sued complete a teen’s suicide successful Florida and for promoting violence successful Texas. There are besides a number of reports that picture nan potential dangers of utilizing AI for therapy.

The findings from Common Sense Media’s caller study connection an early knowing of really young group are utilizing AI to simulate quality interactions, which could see virtual friendship, affectional support, therapy, and role-playing games, among different things.

The study besides examined different behaviors astir teen usage of AI companions, including what sorts of tasks teens turned to them for, why, and what nan after-effects were.

Image Credits:Common Sense Media

For instance, astir half (46%) said they saw AI companions arsenic devices aliases programs, and 33% said they usage them for societal relationship and relationships. Teens said they usage nan AI companions for various purposes: intermezo (30% said this), curiosity astir AI exertion (28%), proposal (18%), and because they’re ever disposable (17%).

Half of teens (50%) said they don’t spot nan accusation provided by AI companions. However, older teens are little apt to spot nan AI’s proposal compared pinch younger teens, ages 13-14, astatine 20% and 27%, respectively.

Image Credits:Common Sense Media

One-third of nan teens said they find nan conversations much satisfying than those pinch real-life friends, though nan mostly (67%) felt nan other way.

Plus, 39% were utilizing nan AI conversations arsenic believe for real-life interactions, arsenic 39% said they applied skills they first tried pinch an AI to real-world situations. Among nan skills practiced, societal skills were nan apical usage case, pinch 39% of teens having explored this area, followed by speech starters (18%), giving proposal (14%), and expressing emotions (13%).

Image Credits:Common Sense Media

In position of whether aliases not real-life relationships will beryllium replaced by tech, location was 1 affirmative finding: 80% of teens who utilized AI companions said they walk much clip pinch existent friends than pinch their AI chatbots. Only 6% said nan reverse was true.