What is AI doing to teens' development?

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-03-17 02:00

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In a 'Viewpoint' article, US researchers raise concerns about adolescents turning to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for emotional support, validation, and companionship. They say this represents a societal shift in which development that used to occur through human relationships during our teenage years is now being outsourced to technology. They suggest teaching teens to be more self-aware, to recognise when AI use becomes emotional reliance and when AI relationships are eclipsing human connection, and that experiencing discomfort in human relationships is an important contributor to healthy development. They also suggest doctors routinely assess AI use in teens to flag emotional dependency and neglect of human connections early on. They conclude by warning that substituting human connection with AI may make teens more vulnerable to depression, anxiety and loneliness. But, they also acknowledge that, for some teens, AI may be their only source of much-needed emotional support.