Most US teens communicate with AI, but still prefer humans — study

Nearly 75% of American teens have used chatbots like Character.AI, Replika, or CHAI at least once to communicate, flirt, or discuss personal topics, according to a new study by Common Sense Media.

More than half of respondents use such digital tools regularly — several times a month or more. These are AI companions — virtual interlocutors with whom you can correspond or talk at any time, and not learning or generative systems.

By the way, Elon Musk's company xAI recently implemented animated 3D avatars for communication on iOS. Elon Musk also announced that the company is working on a special version of the chatbot for children.

While most teens still value interacting with real people, about a third admit to having at least one serious conversation with an AI rather than a friend. The same number of teens say they find conversations with AI just as satisfying as conversations with people.

Researchers note that teenagers spend an average of more than 8.5 hours a day in front of screens, and the emergence of AI companions may affect the development of social skills, critical thinking, and emotional resilience.

A quarter of teenagers admitted to sharing personal information with chatbots, such as their name or geolocation. And a third felt uncomfortable with certain phrases or actions of AI during a conversation. Despite age restrictions, many services are available from 13 years old, and age verification is easy to bypass.

Common Sense Media advises that individuals under the age of 18 completely refrain from using such services, given the potential harm and risk of addiction.