Chatbot Use Among U.S. Teens Hits Two-Thirds Mark in New Data

American youth are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence for daily assistance, a shift that researchers say has accelerated rapidly in recent years. New data from two separate organizations indicates that nearly two-thirds of tweens and teens now use AI chatbots regularly. While many students rely on these tools for academic help, a growing number use them for companionship and to manage stress.

Common Sense Media, an online safety advocacy group, found that AI usage begins well before the standard minimum age of 13 for most platforms. The survey data shows that nearly half of children between the ages of 9 and 12 have used an AI chatbot or digital companion. By age 13, that figure rises sharply, with nearly three-quarters of teens reporting usage.

A separate survey conducted by the JED Foundation, a mental health advocacy group, examined 5,500 students aged 9 to 17 across schools nationwide. The results showed that 90 percent of these students have used an AI chatbot. Nearly two-thirds of respondents reported using the technology for both schoolwork and as a source of support when feeling stressed, lonely, anxious, or overwhelmed.

Anne Maheux, a developmental psychologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the surveys, described the findings as remarkable. She noted that just a few years ago, adoption was rare, but now the number of kids using AI for homework is roughly equal to those using it for emotional coping. "It seems like just a few years ago, no one was using," she said. "And now it seems like roughly the same number of kids using it for homework are using it to get emotional support or help with coping."

Arjun Sharda, 15, of Round Rock, Texas, uses both OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, preferring the latter lately. He uses the tools to practice sample test questions and understand concepts outside the classroom. He said that when he and his friends feel anxious about exams, they turn to the chatbots for reassurance. "With tests, for example," Sharda said, "I was so scared of failing one of my first chemistry tests on conversions and moles that I kept asking ChatGPT 'Will I be OK? Will my GPA still be fine?'"

McKenzie Craig, 17, of Raynham, Massachusetts, has used chatbots since eighth grade. She relies on them to prioritize tasks when she feels overwhelmed. She also uses them to grade her own writing. "If I write an essay, I'll run it through either Grammarly or ChatGPT and have it graded, so to speak," Craig said. "It gives me feedback, and then I can edit accordingly."

Kayla Anderson, vice president of research and evaluation at the JED Foundation, said the data correlates AI use during emotional distress with poorer mental health outcomes and a greater history of suicidal thoughts. However, she cautioned that the data does not prove causation. It remains unclear whether AI use contributes to poor mental health or if students who are already in distress are more likely to seek out the technology.

Maheux and her colleagues found in a study of middle schoolers that students who used chatbots for companionship grew lonelier over time. Similar results appeared in a study of young adults, where heavy reliance on AI for emotional problems was linked to worsening mental health. Maheux suggests that while AI may ease immediate distress, it might prevent young people from developing the skills to tolerate normal daily stresses.

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