AI Chatbots Have Moved Quickly from Novelty to Daily Emotional Support
30% of teens said they preferred engaging with chatbots 'as much or more than other humans'
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2026 – Artificial intelligence chatbots have moved quickly from novelty to daily emotional support, with a majority of teens engaging with chatbots, and many preferring AI to human companionship.
That’s according to research conducted by Common Sense Media, an educational group. More than 70 percent of teens are using chatbots for companionship, and about half report regular use, said Amina Fazlullah, head of tech policy at Common Sense.
Speaking on a panel about “Chatting with Machines: Mental Health, AI Companions, and the New Psychology of Connection,” Fazlullah added that roughly 30 percent of teens said they preferred engaging with chatbots “as much or more than other humans.”
Yet parents’ awareness of this usage remains low.
Amanda Lenhart, a senior fellow at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, said the draw is often “frictionlessness,” a space that “doesn’t judge you,” where young people can “talk about hard things” and try out thoughts or identities.
For some teens these tools “stand in for therapy,” Lenhart said, especially when traditional care is out of reach. She cautioned that youth often can’t tell whether the health information they receive is accurate.
Adam Thierer, senior fellow at the R Street Institute, urged the audience to avoid reflexive “moral panic,” arguing that past debates over media effects often overstated harms.
He emphasized resilience and family engagement, saying, “At the end of the day, there are no silver bullet solutions. We just always must talk to our kids in an open, loving and understanding fashion.”
Shae Gardner, director of policy and research at LGBT Tech, stressed that “AI companions are not mental health tools,” yet they are increasingly treated as support, especially for LGBTQ+ users facing limited access to care. Gardner flagged data privacy concerns, and warned that teens are sharing highly sensitive and personal information with chatbots without clear protections.
Panelists were split on the recent surge in state-level AI regulation bills. Some called for targeted disclosure, literacy and privacy protections. Others raised concerns about a patchwork of state compliance and litigation-driven enforcement.
Member discussion