AI Companions and Teens: The Growing Concern Over Digital Relationships

'No children should be having a relationship with AI,' says author of 'The Anxious Generation': How parents can limit use of chatbots

More and more teens are interacting with chatbots like Open AI's ChatGPT, Character.AI and Meta AI. A majority, 72% of teens ages 13 to 17 have used AI companions at least once, according to a July 2025 report by nonprofit Common Sense Media. More than half, 52% interact with the platforms at least a few times a month, and 13% are daily users. While teen use of chatbots can be fairly benign -- 46% say they use them as a tool or program -- for some, the reliance and relationship can go much deeper, sometimes to tragic ends. Last week, parents of teens who died by suicide after extensive chatbot use testified before Congress about the dangers of this new tech. NYU Stern School of Business professor and bestselling author of "The Anxious Generation" Jonathan Haidt has spent the last few years sounding the alarm about teen tech use. He's also been giving parents actionable steps they can take to protect their kids' mental health. AI chatbots are "incredibly dangerous," Haidt told CNBC Make It at the Fast Company Innovation Festival last week. "We have deaths. We have delusions in adults as well. And right now, the most dangerous thing seems to be the relationships, the long conversations." If kids are using AI as a tool to learn and to find information it's "generally a good thing," Haidt says. In fact, by high school, they'll probably have to use it for assignments. The problem arises when the use of this tech takes a wrong turn and kids start to build relationships with it. That's where, Haidt says, it's prudent for parents to set boundaries. To ensure kids are only turning to AI chatbots as a tool, parents can set rules about how they use them at home. They can restrict use only to a shared device like a family computer. Haidt advises parents set a limit on how long their kids can engage in "conversation" with a chatbot and suggests no more than 30 rounds of back and forth. In the stories that ended tragically, conversations were "1,000s and 1,000s of rounds" and that's what made the difference, he says. In an August 2025 blog post that addressed the rapid adoption of ChatGPT and the app's safety, OpenAI wrote "our safeguards work more reliably in common, short exchanges. We have learned over time that these safeguards can sometimes be less reliable in long interactions." Haidt contends that because tech companies "have a long track record of harming children at an industrial scale," the onus is on parents to enforce strict rules around using their products. "No children should be having a relationship with AI," he says. Want to be your own boss? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It's new online course, How To Start A Business: For First-Time Founders. Find step-by-step guidance for launching your first business, from testing your idea to growing your revenue. Sign up today with coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off the regular course price of $127 (plus tax). Offer valid September 16 through September 30, 2025. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and peers.

Teens are turning to AI for friendship: New report warns parents to step in before it's too late, suggests what they can do

A new Common Sense Media report reveals 72% of U.S. teens have used AI companions, with 13% chatting daily. While many use them for curiosity or fun, one-third seek emotional support or friendships, raising concerns of replacing human bonds. Experts warn long conversations can deepen dependency and expose teens to harmful content. Parents are urged to set boundaries, encourage open dialogue, and reinforce that AI is a tool, not a substitute for real relationships. The teenage years have always been a search for connection, but in 2025, that search increasingly extends into conversations with machines. A new report from Common Sense Media, "Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions," reveals that 72% of U.S. teens have used AI companions such as Character.AI, Replika, or ChatGPT in a conversational role. More than half (52%) are regular users, and 13% chat with AI daily. While many teens view AI companions as tools for curiosity or entertainment, one-third use them for emotional support, friendship, or even flirtation. The concern, experts say, is that these digital bonds can sometimes deepen into relationships that replace human connection. The report highlights that nearly one in three teens has chosen to share something serious with an AI instead of turning to friends or family. About a quarter admit to sharing personal details like their name or location. For adolescents still developing social and emotional skills, this shift raises red flags. Despite this, most teens remain clear-eyed. Nearly 80% spend more time with real friends than with AI, and two-thirds say human conversations are more satisfying. But researchers caution that even a small number of harmful experiences -- such as exposure to unsafe advice, offensive stereotypes, or dangerous suggestions -- can have serious consequences when scaled to millions of young users. NYU professor Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, has been outspoken about the risks of extended AI use among teens. As per reports from CNBC Make It, speaking at the Fast Company Innovation Festival, Prof. Haidt warned, "No children should be having a relationship with AI. The most dangerous thing seems to be the long conversations." He recommends parents set limits -- no more than 30 rounds of back-and-forth with chatbots -- to ensure teens use AI for information, not emotional dependency. OpenAI itself has acknowledged that its safety systems are more reliable in short exchanges than in lengthy conversations. The tragic testimonies of parents whose children died after excessive chatbot use before Congress last week underscore the urgency of the issue. Experts stress that parents do not need to be technology experts to make a difference. The Common Sense Media report urges families to: "Teens may experiment with AI the way previous generations experimented with music or video games," the report notes. "But unlike those, AI companions are designed to mimic intimacy." AI companions can help teens practice social skills, brainstorm ideas, or learn languages. In fact, nearly 40% of users report applying lessons from AI chats in real life, especially in starting conversations. But until tech companies introduce stricter safeguards, researchers recommend keeping AI companions firmly in the "tool" category rather than letting them drift into "friend." For parents, that means drawing a line between healthy exploration and risky reliance. As Haidt puts it: "The onus is on parents to enforce strict rules, because tech companies have a long track record of harming children at scale." The challenge is clear: teaching teens that while AI can talk like a friend, it cannot be one.