72% of US teens have used AI companions, study finds

Hoping Grock’s mate is not …

A new study by a US non -profit, centered on the life of kids and family, Common knowledge mediaIt has been found that most of our teenagers (%2%) have tried AI colleagues at least once. By the “Assistant”, the study is focused on the AI chatbots that are designed to have a more personal conversation with users, not AI assistants that act as homework helpers, image generators or voice helpful which simply answer the question.

For example, the definition of AI companions in the definition of the study. The digital AI personus provided by companies like this or replica may also include the use of ordinary-informed chatboats such as ChatzPT or Cloud, which can be used for more personal conversations if desired.

The survey found that chatting with AI seems to be appealing to our adolescents (3 to 5 17 years of age), because almost three-fourth of AI colleagues do not try, but 12% say that they are regular users. 13% of those who are regularly involved with these companions chat daily with them and 21% chat a few times a week.

The boys (5%) were somewhat more likely than girls (20%) said they had never used AI companions, among the four teenagers who had never tried.

The search is based on a Study It was on April and 2025 and used a representative sample of 1,060 teenagers and researchers from the NORC University at the University of Chicago. There is already concern about AI’s impact on adolescent wellness, such as a firm, character.Ae, suit A teenage suicide In Florida and for Promotion of violence In Texas. There are also several reports that describe that Possibility Hazard Using AI for therapy.

The results of the new study of the Common Sense Media are the initial understanding of how young people are using to mimic human interaction, including virtual friendship, sensitive support, therapy and playing games.

The analysis also tested other behaviors around the use of adolescents of AI companions, including what kind of adolescents are leaning towards them, why and what the impacts were.

For example, about half (46%) says they viewed AI as the tools or programs of AI and 33% said they used them for social interactions and relationships. Teenagers said that they used for various purposes of AI companions: entertainment (30%), curiosity about AI technology (28%), suggestion (18%), and because they are always available (17%).

Half adolescents (5%) say they do not believe in information provided by AI companions. However, older adolescents are less likely to rely on AI’s advice compared to adolescents between the ages of 5 and 6, respectively.

A third of adolescents say that they think the conversations with real-life friends are more satisfying, though the majority (%67%) felt the opposite path.

Also, 39% of AI conversations were used as a practice of real-life interactions, because 39% said they had applied skills they first tried real-world situations with AI. In practice skills, social skills were in the case of top use, 39%of teenagers explored the area, then start conversation (18%), providing advice (14%) and expresses emotions (13%).

There was a positive search in terms of whether real life relationships would be replaced by technology: 5% of adolescents used by AI say they spend more time with real friends than AI Chattobs. Only 6% said the opposite was true.