72% of U.S. teens have used AI companions, study finds

Hopefully not Grok’s companions…

A caller survey by a U.S. nonprofit focused connected the lives of kids and families, Common Sense Media, has recovered that a immense bulk of U.S. teens (72%) person tried an AI companion astatine slightest once. By “companion,” the survey is focused connected AI chatbots that are designed for users to person much idiosyncratic conversations with, not AI assistants that enactment arsenic homework helpers, representation generators, oregon dependable assistants that conscionable reply questions.

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

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

Boys (31%) were besides somewhat much apt than girls (25%) to accidental they had ne'er utilized an AI companion, among the 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 illustration of 1,060 teens and was conducted by researchers from NORC astatine the University of Chicago. There person already been concerns astir AI’s interaction connected teens’ well-being, arsenic 1 firm, Character.AI, is being sued implicit a teen’s suicide successful Florida and for promoting violence successful Texas. There are besides a fig of reports that picture the potential dangers of utilizing AI for therapy.

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

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

Image Credits:Common Sense Media

For instance, astir fractional (46%) said they saw AI companions arsenic tools oregon programs, and 33% said they usage them for societal enactment and relationships. Teens said they usage the AI companions for assorted purposes: amusement (30% said this), curiosity astir AI exertion (28%), proposal (18%), and due to the fact that they’re ever disposable (17%).

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

Image Credits:Common Sense Media

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

Plus, 39% were utilizing the AI conversations arsenic signifier for real-life interactions, arsenic 39% said they applied skills they archetypal tried with an AI to real-world situations. Among the skills practiced, societal skills were the apical usage case, with 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 presumption of whether oregon not real-life relationships volition beryllium replaced by tech, determination was 1 affirmative finding: 80% of teens who utilized AI companions said they walk much clip with existent friends than with their AI chatbots. Only 6% said the reverse was true.